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One of the high school history electives is called "A Review of Major Reforms in History", which records the social reform events in ancient and modern times, both in China and abroad, that have achieved remarkable results and had far-reaching influence, including Shang Yang's Reform, Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty's Sinicization, Wang Anshi's Reform, Zhang Juzheng's Reform and the Reform Movement of 1898. Among them, the most controversial one is not the Reform Movement of 1898, but Wang Anshi's Reform.

Some people say that it changed the poor and weak situation of the Song Dynasty, while some netizens believe that he accelerated the demise of the Northern Song Dynasty. In fact, as early as at that time, Wang Anshi had been attacked by his colleagues. His measures were also abolished after the death of Emperor Shenzong, and his colleagues who once supported him were also exiled.

If we look back at history, we will find that before the late Qing Dynasty, literati had mixed opinions about Wang Anshi, completely unlike the one-sided praise they receive today. His political enemy Sima Guang ridiculed him: "People say that Anshi is treacherous and evil, and that's an exaggeration; but he is ignorant and stubborn." Yang Shen, a great talent in the Ming Dynasty, even believed that Wang Anshi's cunningness could be ranked alongside that of Wang Mang, Cao Cao, Sima Yi, and Zhu Wen.

It was not until the late Qing Dynasty that Liang Qichao called him "If one were to seek a perfect man in the three dynasties, only you could be the perfect one." People began to discover the preciousness of this "stubborn prime minister." We all know that Wang Anshi was a writer and politician, but many people may not know that he also has calligraphy works handed down. Although there are only two pieces, we can still get a glimpse of his character and calligraphy skills from them.

The two works are "Guo Cong Tie" and "Ling Yan Jing Zhi Yao", which are respectively kept in the National Palace Museum in Taipei and the Shanghai Museum. "Guo Cong Tie" is an ink on paper, 26 cm in length and 32.1 cm in width, with 6 lines and 41 characters. "Ling Yan Jing Zhi Yao" is an ink on paper, 29.9 cm in length and 119 cm in width, with 72 lines and about 1,000 characters.

Wang Anshi was born in a family of officials in Linchuan. His father was the judge of Linjiang Army. He read widely since childhood and was proficient in calligraphy and painting. He learned from the Erwang, Ouyang Xun, Ouyang Tong, Liu Gongquan, Yang Ningshi and other calligraphers, and was influenced by the "idea-oriented" style of calligraphy. His calligraphy was excellent and he coordinated the rules and personality very well.

The text of "Letter from a Consort" reads: "Written by Anshi. A consort said that he must see me. After receiving my letter, I know that I have been delayed. And I dare not see you. I only hope that you will handle the matter properly and give me your praise. I will not announce it to you. To your Excellency the Minister of Justice". This is a letter from Wang Anshi. The brushwork is natural and casual, with both hidden and exposed strokes at the beginning and the end. The movements are rich, the edge is obvious, the side of the brush is used in the middle and the strokes are vigorous and varied, the turns and hooks are sharp and crisp.

The characters in this work are compact and dangerous, with continuous echoes and interlacing, and there is movement in the stillness. The composition is well-spaced, dense above and below, and sparse on the left and right. The Essentials of the Shurangama Sutra was written by Wang Anshi one year before his death. At this time, he was idle at home and was in the mood for Buddhist scriptures. At first glance, this work is dense and even a bit messy. A closer look reveals that the characters are precise, the brushwork is rich, and the strokes are exaggerated and elongated.

Huang Tingjian praised Wang Anshi's calligraphy: "Among the scholars and officials in recent years, only Jing Gong has the temperament of the ancients, but he is not upright, yet his handwriting is very vigorous." But some people also criticized his calligraphy for being "sarcastic" and "ugly."

What do you think of Wang Anshi’s calligraphy? Welcome to leave a message in the comment section to discuss!