The Biography of Shen Kuo

Shen Kuo worked on water conservation projects and rescued people from floods. He created original books on mathematics and medicine, and traveled all over the country in his youth. He led troops in battle, devised the Twelve Qi Calendar, and helped determine the design of the armillary sphere. He coined the name for petroleum, served at the Bureau of Astronomy, and stopped the emperor from imposing excessive taxes and levies. Skilled with a bow and at military strategy, he greatly improved the Song dynasty's weapon production. By comparison, his work that has endured for generations, Dream Pool Essays, pales beside his other achievements. At the same time, later generations have recognized him as a statesman. I admire him because he was an outstanding statesman. From beginning to end, he remembered that his duty was to improve people's lives. Even when his position was high enough and his words carried enough weight that he could change the emperor's decisions, he never abandoned that original purpose. A politician's methods may be less than honorable, and their record may not shine, but their heart must be clear. Su Shi was not only a man of letters, but also a politician. In his capacity as a politician, he and Shen Kuo were equals. I don't mean to denigrate Su Shi, but as men who both served as local officials, Shen Kuo greatly improved the Song dynasty's water conservancy and defenses against foreign threats. What about Su Shi? It is true that he was an incorruptible official and a master of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but beyond that, he accomplished little. Su Shi did a good job as a local official, but that was all he did. People say Shen Kuo framed Su Shi, and that this was utterly unjust. But what about everything else Shen Kuo did? He improved craftsmen's skills and people's lives, and brought so much knowledge to later generations, including us. To completely dismiss someone's achievements in government because of one little scheme to influence the court is going too far. And what of Su Shi? Did he never speak ill of Wang Anshi? Did he never speak ill of Sima Guang? He was banished twice, once by Wang Anshi and once by Sima Guang. He called himself a close friend of both men, yet they banished him time and again. Was there really nothing wrong with him? I think Su Shi was simply a child who never grew up, rejoicing in his own world and fancifully imagining Wang Anshi and Sima Guang getting along. Su Shi simply didn't understand the political struggles at court, and he didn't understand Shen Kuo at all. Shen Kuo, on the other hand, understood from his youth that nothing mattered more than benefiting the people. Shen Kuo never thought friendship mattered more than the realm. #No matter how many preorders I get, I'll start this series##Let me introduce you to my idol#