Song, Liao, and Jin · Statesman and Official

Wang Anshi 王安石

Attested AD 1069 - AD 1076

Passages: 9
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Wang Anshi was a statesman and Official.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 1069 to AD 1076 呂惠卿始諂事王安石
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 339, passages 364-365
AD 1069 於是青苗法遂行
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 339, passages 49-50, 54-55

Career and standing

reform minister 執政
Strongly inferred · History of Song 339, passages 49, 364

Places and affiliations

Polity Song 宋 · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Song 339, passage 49
Organization Wang school 王氏學 · Relation Eponym
Directly stated · History of Song 339, passage 74

Works and attributed material

New Interpretations of the Odes and Documents 詩書新義
Relation Author
Directly stated · History of Song 339, passage 69

Events and relationships

Implemented green sprouts law
Administrative · Policy authorizer
Directly stated · History of Song 339, passage 49
Imposed private classical interpretations on examinations
Educational · Standard setter
Directly stated · History of Song 339, passage 69
Instituted hired labor service
Administrative · Policy author
Directly stated · History of Song 339, passage 62
Sent eight commissioners to seek revenue
Administrative · Dispatcher
Directly stated · History of Song 339, passage 50
Sought to incriminate
Legal · Would be punisher · With Su Zhe (蘇轍)
Directly stated · History of Song 339, passage 55
Relation Patron of · Person Lü Huiqing (呂惠卿)
Directly stated · History of Song 339, passage 364

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · History of Song 339, passage 49

References in the histories

Search passages

History

9 passages

History of Song, Chapter 339Volume 339 Biographies 98: Su Zhezu and Grandson: Yuanlao · 9 passages

會河北轉運判官王廣廉奏乞度僧牒數千為本錢，于陝西漕司私行青苗法，春散秋斂，與安石意合，於是青苗法遂行。 Then Hebei transport judge Wang Guanglian asked to sell thousands of ordination certificates for capital and to run a private Green Sprouts scheme through the Shaanxi commissariat—spring disbursement, autumn collection—in line with Anshi's intent, and the law took effect.

安石因遣八使之四方，訪求遺利。 Anshi then sent eight commissioners to the provinces to ferret out unexploited revenue.

又以書抵安石，力陳其不可。 He also wrote Anshi at length why the scheme would not work.

安石怒，將加以罪，升之止之，以為河南推官。 Anshi wanted to punish him, but Shengzhi checked him and had Zhe made push officer of Henan.

呂惠卿始諂事王安石，倡行虐政以害天下。 Lü Huiqing had first flattered Wang Anshi and instigated tyrannical policies that harmed the realm.

及勢鈞力敵，則傾陷安石，甚于仇讎，世尤惡之，至是，自知不免，乞宮觀以避貶竄。 When their power became evenly matched, he undermined Anshi worse than an enemy, and the world hated him all the more. By then, knowing he could not escape, he sought a palace observance sinecure to avoid demotion and exile.

司馬光以王安石雇役之害，欲復差役，不知其害相半於雇役。 Sima Guang, seeing the harm of Wang Anshi's hired-labor tax, wished to restore corvée labor but did not see that corvée brought harms half as grave again.

光又以安石私設《詩》、《書新義》考試天下士，欲改科舉，別為新格。 Guang also wished to change the examinations because Anshi had imposed his private new interpretations of the Odes and Documents on candidates nationwide.

乞來年科場，一切如舊，惟經義兼取注疏及諸家論議，或出己見，不專用王氏學。 Let next year's field run entirely as before, but in classical exegesis accept commentaries and schools other than Wang Anshi's, or the candidate's own view.