Su Shi - Biographies of World Great Figures

Author: You Xingbo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: There are countless shining stars in the Chinese literary world. During the Northern Song Dynasty, a great writer shone with outstanding literary achievements, and he is none other than the master of poetry and prose—Su Shi. Su Shi was born into a scholarly family in Meishan, Sichuan. A strong academic atmosphere, meticulous upbringing by his parents, and his own intelligence and eagerness to learn enabled him to demonstrate exceptional literary talent from a young age. By the age of ten, he could write outstanding essays, and by thirteen, he could revise the poems composed by his teacher. From a young age, Su Shi, who harbored great ambitions, achieved remarkable accomplishments in literary creation through relentless effort. His poems, ci (a form of Chinese poetry), and prose reflected his bold spirit, rich intellectual depth, and unique artistic style, representing the highest achievements of Northern Song literature. Together with his father Su Xun and his younger brother Su Zhe, he was renowned throughout the world and collectively known as the "Three Su," and all three were included in the group of the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties," which is truly a miracle in literary history! Su Shi was also an outstanding statesman. Wherever he served as an official, he did many good deeds for the local people and was deeply beloved by them. He suffered exclusion and persecution due to his opposition to the policies of Wang Anshi and Sima Guang, and even spent his later years wandering in remote and desolate places like Guangdong and Hainan. But his unyielding and persistent spirit demonstrated his noble character and strong will to fight. The invaluable spiritual legacy left by Su Shi has benefited later generations for generations to come.