The Song Dynasty Upheaval, 1063–1086

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.