No dynasty has ever been as controversial as the Song Dynasty. Some people say it was poor and weak, while others say it was a glorious civilization. Professor Zhao Dongmei of Peking University believes that in the twenty-four years from the accession of Yingzong to the throne in 1063 to the death of Sima Guang at the beginning of Zhezong in 1086, the politics of the Song Dynasty turned from prosperity to decline, which can be called the "Change of the Song Dynasty".
This book uses the second half of Sima Guang's life as a clue to deduce the political situation of the Yingzong, Shenzong and Zhezong dynasties, and goes deep into the Puyi dispute, Wang Anshi's reform, Sima Xiangye and other historical details. Using characters as the classics and events as the latitude, this book fully demonstrates the struggles and games of Han Qi, Wang Anshi, Sima Guang, Su Shi and other literati politicians in the great changes in history, and reproduces the glory and humiliation of intellectuals at the end of the co-governance era. With razor-sharp analytical reasoning and elegant and fluent language, this book explores the intricate cause and effect and historical truth of the changes in the Song Dynasty, and reveals the deep roots of the rise and fall of the empire.
Reader comments
It took me nearly three months to finally finish reading this book about the history of the Northern Song Dynasty from prosperity to decline.
In my eyes, Sima Guang is no longer just a vague image of "smashing vats" when he was a child and creating "Zi Zhi Tong Jian", but a three-dimensional person. "Wen Zheng" runs throughout, taking national interests as the core and speaking out for the people...
The understanding of "Wang Anshi's Reform" is no longer just a one-sided understanding. Many reform policies were somewhat advanced measures. However, due to the internal and external environment of the Northern Song Dynasty, Wang Anshi's own character, etc., The reforms were too radical and eventually evolved into intra-party disputes, paving the way for the subsequent demise of the Northern Song Dynasty.
History is often not just a few strokes in a history book. A person's life is very long, let alone the people of the same era.
This book tells the history of the Song Dynasty from a unique perspective and gave me a deeper understanding of Sima Guang and his era. The characters in the book have distinct personalities, and their experiences made me feel the complexity and diversity of history. Especially Sima Guang, I admire him for his persistence and resistance in the political storm. This book is not only a record of history, but also made me think about life. I recommend it to you!
The content is easy to understand, the thinking is clear, and it is worth reading.
It took me nearly three months to finally finish reading this book about the history of the Northern Song Dynasty from prosperity to decline. In my eyes, Sima Guang is no longer just a vague image of "smashing vats" when he was a child and creating "Zi Zhi Tong Jian", but a three-dimensional person. "Wen Zheng" runs throughout, taking national interests as the core and speaking out for the people... The understanding of "Wang Anshi's Reform" is no longer just a one-sided understanding. Many reform policies were somewhat advanced measures. However, due to the internal and external environment of the Northern Song Dynasty, Wang Anshi's own character, etc., The reforms were too radical and eventually evolved into intra-party disputes, paving the way for the subsequent demise of the Northern Song Dynasty. History is often not just a few strokes in a history book. A person's life is very long, let alone the people of the same era.
This book tells the history of the Song Dynasty from a unique perspective and gave me a deeper understanding of Sima Guang and his era. The characters in the book have distinct personalities, and their experiences made me feel the complexity and diversity of history. Especially Sima Guang, I admire him for his persistence and resistance in the political storm. This book is not only a record of history, but also made me think about life. I recommend it to you!
The content is easy to understand, the thinking is clear, and it is worth reading.