In the context of the open and inclusive era of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, scholars from poor families in the south of the Yangtze River entered official positions through imperial examinations. Amidst the factions in the court, border crises and the wave of reform, they grew from idealistic youths to capable officials who governed the country with both pragmatism and original intentions. They understood that "being an official is not only about managing the world and benefiting the people, but also the wisdom of maintaining balance in the current of the times."
