A sweeping historical novel set during the Xining era of the Northern Song dynasty. Shen Yan, the protagonist, is born into a poor family in Jiangnan and grows up witnessing both the benefits and the drawbacks of the New Policies at the local level, as well as the hardships they bring to ordinary people. Gifted and steadfast, he studies diligently at Huzhou Anding Academy, rises above the factional divide between supporters and opponents of the reforms, and develops a practical philosophy of scholarship devoted to serving the world.
With meticulous detail, the novel recreates the world of Song academies, the full process of the three-tier imperial examination system, and the complex bureaucracy. Through Shen Yan's extraordinary journey from impoverished scholar to successful candidate, from local official to player in the central government's power struggles, and ultimately to chancellor, it shows how he holds fast to his principles and governs pragmatically amid fierce factional strife and troubles at home and abroad in the late Northern Song, striving to turn the tide.
This is not only the story of a man's struggle to build a career, but also a vivid portrait of Northern Song society. It brings to life scholar-officials from different classes and with opposing political views, explores the historical merits and failings of Wang Anshi's reforms, and examines the deeper reasons behind the Northern Song dynasty's decline. It offers readers a multifaceted look at a real and complex Great Song dynasty.
