Ouyang Xiu was a prime minister of the Northern Song Dynasty, one of the Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties, and also the leader of the literary world of the Northern Song Dynasty. His home is a salon full of friends; A large number of talented and knowledgeable individuals often discuss wine and poetry here. The lanterns illuminate the hall like daylight, and the interplay of wine glasses and wine orders creates a brilliant glow, resulting in the clinking of glasses.
Ouyang Xiu was born into a prominent family, but by the time it was passed down to Ouyang Xiu’s grandfather, the family’s fortunes had already declined. When Ouyang Xiu was 4 years old, his father passed away due to illness and he had no means of livelihood. His mother had to take him to Hubei to seek refuge with his uncle. My mother is very strict in raising her children, and my uncle is a small official. His family background is not wealthy, and he cannot even provide paper and pen for Ouyang Xiu and his son to study. My mother took Ouyang Xiu to a small river and used locally sourced materials, using reeds as pens, to complete Ouyang Xiu’s enlightenment education on the soft sandy land. With each stroke, she wrote a capital character – the study of reeds has been passed down from then on.
In the seventh year of the Tiansheng reign of Emperor Renzong of Song (1029 AD), 22-year-old Ouyang Xiu accompanied his prospective father-in-law Xu Yan to the capital city of Bianliang (now Kaifeng), where he took four consecutive exams and ranked first in three of them. As soon as he appeared, he was like a white crane with bright wings and a crown covering Jinghua. But personality determines fate, and his career was not smooth sailing. He worked for the Northern Song government for more than 40 years and was demoted several times, but it did not affect his becoming a literary master of his generation.
Ouyang Xiu wrote extensively throughout his life, including “History of the New Five Dynasties” and “New Book of Tang”. He established the concept of applied writing and pioneered the general framework of applied writing theory, advocating that applied writing should focus on practicality.
His poetry, lyrics, essays, and prose are all very beautiful. After being exiled to Chuzhou, he wrote the immortal “Record of the Drunken Weng Pavilion”, surrounded by mountains. These mountains are like barriers in the hearts of people in their careers, but in the eyes of writers, they are outstanding frames that highlight the beauty and magnificence of Lin Gengyan. Immersed in the beautiful scenery and the leisurely state of mind he created, Ouyang Xiu was happy and forgot his worries.
He is a responsible and responsible person. After being recalled to the capital, he used his reputation to recommend and reward a large number of literary newcomers, allowing them to realize their life value in their respective positions. Among these people are the father and son of Wang Anshi, Zeng Gong, and Su Shi. When recommending Su Shi, a kind-hearted person said, ‘I’m afraid that in ten years, people will only know Su Shi and not Mr.’. Ouyang Xiu smiled calmly, showing his noble, free spirited, and aristocratic demeanor. For thousands of years, people who are proficient in literature and ink have not only known Su Dashi, but also respected Ouyang Xiu.
But Ouyang Xiu’s appearance is really not commendable – he is highly nearsighted and has two exposed rabbit teeth; Low and thin, with a poor complexion. When he debuted, the emperor received him and the empress saw him. The empress frowned and said she had never seen such an ugly person before. Even the Prime Minister Yan Shu, upon seeing him, said that his appearance was vastly different from his fresh and elegant writing, and he did not greatly appreciate Ouyang Xiu.
However, there are still people who have a keen eye for pearls, see the essence through phenomena, and are captivated by their wisdom and beautiful soul. Ouyang Xiu married three wives who were all beautiful and famous. When Ouyang Xiu celebrated his 65th birthday, all of his disciples had already achieved great success, and in literature, he was on par with his teachers. They all rushed over to wish the teacher a happy birthday. A beautiful fan eagerly lit her cup and said, ‘Sir wrote,’ Life is full of love and infatuation, and this hatred is not related to wind and moon. ‘Since it is not related to wind and moon, what does it have to do with it?’?
Ouyang Xiu retorted, “Do I look ugly when I smile? Not ugly, sir’s charm index cannot be compared to anyone present. A wise, open-minded, selfless, and kind man is the cutest person. One year later, Ouyang Xiu passed away at the age of 66 and was buried in Xinzheng.
