Su Shi (1037-1101) was a writer, calligrapher and painter in the Song Dynasty. His courtesy name was Zizhan, his nickname was Dongpo Jushi, and he was known as Su Dongpo in the world. A native of Meishan, Meizhou (now part of Sichuan). Born into a wealthy and educated landlord family. His grandfather Su Xu was a poet, his father Su Xun was good at policy theory, and his mother Cheng personally taught him books.
In the second year of Jiayou's reign (1057), he took the examination of the Ministry of Etiquette and won the second place. During the Renzong palace examination, he and his younger brother Su Zhe passed the same subject as Jinshi. He returned to Shu because of his mother's death. In the sixth year of Jiayou's reign (1061), upon the recommendation of Ouyang Xiu, he was ranked third in the Zhongzhi Department and was appointed as the judge of Fengxiang Prefecture in Dali. After his term of office expired, he returned home at the time of his father's death. In the second year of Xining (1069), he returned to serve in the court, which was the period when Wang Anshi implemented the new law. He emphasized the reform of official administration and opposed sudden changes. He believed that "being cautious will lead to success, and acting lightly will lead to failure." Because his opinions were not adopted, he asked for external transfer. From the fourth year of Xining (1071), he successively served as the general magistrate of Hangzhou and the magistrate of Mizhou, Xuzhou, and Huzhou. Everywhere he went, there were many political achievements. In the second year of Yuanfeng (1079), Yushi Zhongcheng Li Ding and others excerpted Su Shi's poems and wrote them thoughtfully. They were arrested and imprisoned for slandering the New Deal. Five months later, he was demoted to Huangzhou as deputy envoy of regiment training. In the eighth year of Yuanfeng (1094), Zhe Zong was established, appointed Sima Guang, and abolished the new law. Su Shi was transferred back to Kyoto and held positions such as Zhongshu Sheren, Hanlin Bachelor, Zhizhigao, etc. Due to his disagreement with the political views of the people in power, he asked to be transferred to other places again. He successively served as magistrate of Hangzhou, Yingzhou and Yangzhou. Later, he moved to the Ministry of Rites and held two bachelor's degrees in Duanming Hall and Hanlin Hall. After Zhezong came to power in the first year of Shaosheng (1094), Su Shi was demoted again and again, from Yingzhou, Huizhou, to Danzhou (now Danxian County, Hainan). It was not until the third year of Yuanfu (1100) that Huizong ascended the throne and returned to the north. Died in Changzhou. During the reign of Emperor Xiaozong of Song Dynasty, he was posthumously named Wenzhong.
Su Shi suffered several political setbacks, but he always had a persistent pursuit of life and beautiful things. The main body of his thought is Confucianism, and he absorbs the parts of Buddhism and Lao Buddhism that are in common with Confucianism, and maintains an optimistic attitude towards life. His literary ideas are similar to Ouyang Xiu's. It is required to be intentional and practical. Pay attention to the artistic value of literature.
Su Shi was a literary leader in the mid-Northern Song Dynasty, a literary giant, and one of the eight great writers of the Tang and Song Dynasties. His writing is vertical and horizontal, his poems have broad themes, are fresh and bold, and are good at using exaggeration and metaphor, and have a unique style. He is a bold and unrestrained poet, and is called "Su Xin" together with Xin Qiji.
The majority of his creations are poems, totaling more than 2,700 poems, with rich and diverse themes. The poem expresses concern for the fate of the country and the suffering of the people, especially sympathy for the farmers. Such as "Lychee Sigh", "Zhuchen Village Wedding Pictures Saved by Chen Jichang", "Five Birds' Words", "Wuzhong Tian Women's Sigh", etc. The poems describing natural scenery are well written, innovative and thought-provoking. Such as "Heavy Rain in Youmeitang", "Inscription on the West Forest Wall", etc. Poetry also reflects the local customs and life scenes of various places, and everything can be included in poetry. The writing is vivid, unrestrained and smart, springs to life wherever it touches, and is full of sentiment and charm, becoming a masterpiece of a generation.
His prose achievements are very high. He is one of the Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song Dynasties. His articles about history and politics are majestic and good at changing. The prose narrative travel notes are both poetic and artistic, and also contain profound rationality. "The Story of Xiyuting", "The Story of Shizhongshan", and "Red Cliff Ode" before and after are his representative works.
There are as many as 340 and 50 lyrics, which break through the barriers of lovesickness and separation, and love between men and women. They reflect the real life of society and express the feelings of serving the country and loving the people. "Nothing is unintentional, nothing can be said", including the expression of farmers' life. The style of writing is mostly vigorous and passionate, with a lot of frustration and confusion. There are also innovations in language and music. "Point out the way up, and create new eyes and ears for the world." In the history of the development of Ci, he created the bold Ci school. Representative works include "Jiang Chengzi? Hunting in Mizhou", "Shui Tiao Ge Tou? When will the bright moon come", "Nian Nujiao? Chibi Nostalgic", etc. There are excellent works of love poems and chanting poems, showing diverse artistic styles.
There are "The Complete Works of Dongpo" and "Dongpo Yuefu" handed down from generation to generation.