Yan Shu

Yan Shu (Chinese: 晏殊; pinyin: Yàn Shū; Wade–Giles: Yen Shu, 991 – 1055) was a Chinese calligrapher, essayist, poet, and politician of the Song dynasty.[1] He was given the posthumous title of Yuanxian (元獻) as well as bestowed the title of Duke of Linzi.

Yan Shu
Portrait of Yan Shu
Portrait of Yan Shu
Native name
晏殊
Born991
Linchuan District, Fuzhou, Jiangxi
Died1055
Bianjing (汴京), modern day Kaifeng
OccupationCalligrapher, essayist, poet, and politician
PeriodSong dynasty
SubjectCalligraphy, poetry
Notable works珠玉詞, 晏元獻遺文, 類要, 浣溪沙(一曲新詞酒一杯), 蝶戀花(檻菊愁煙蘭泣露), etc.
ChildrenYan Jidao (晏幾道)

Yan Shu was born in modern-day Linchuan District of Fuzhou, Jiangxi. He was considered to be a child prodigy and at the age of 14, passed the imperial examinations.[2] During his lifetime, Yan Shu had composed over 10,000 Ci poems, but most have been lost. Of the remaining, the Pearl Jade (珠玉詞), of which 136 poems remain, is considered to be one of his most notable works. Other major works in existence today include parts of 《晏元獻遺文》 and 《類要》.[3] Together with Ouyang Xiu, they were referred to as "Yan-Ou".

He was a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, one of the initiators of the Qingli Reforms and served as prime minister to Emperor Renzong.

Early life

Yan Shu was able to compose poems by the age of five and when he was fourteen, he passed the imperial examinations with ease after competing with over a thousand other scholars across the kingdom. During the Ci poem essay composition part of the examination, he informed the examiner that he had previously already worked the problem being asked, and if whether there were any other problems he can do instead. Emperor Zhenzong praised him and bestowed upon him the title of Tong Jin Shi (同進士). The then prime minister Kou Zhun (寇準) expressed that Yan Shu was an outsider from which Emperor Zong replied: “Was not Zhang Jiuling also an outsider at the time?”

Early career

Starting from 1008, Yan Shu served as an assistant to a Guanglushi official[4] and was tasked to edit imperial decrees. He later became an assistant to the Ministry of Ceremonies (Han dynasty) and promoted to become a keeper of the imperial seal. After ascension to becoming an entry-level official (外郎) of the Hu Bu (Ministry of Revenue), he became a close confidant to the crown prince. He also became a scholar of the Hanlin Academy.[5]

Poetry

Some of Yan's most well-known poetry include To the tune “Sands of the Washing Stream”—“A single new song, a single cup of wine” (浣溪沙 · 一曲新詞酒一杯):[6][7]

References
  1. "Yan shu(晏殊),Representative of the Wanyue School of ci poetry in the Song Dynasty". Cultural China. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  2. Zhongming Yang, edited by Shaoyi Duan, People from Fuzhou, Fangzhi Publishing Co. 2002, p. 16
  3. 晏殊_浣溪沙 晏殊_蝶恋花 晏殊_破阵子晏殊_晏殊词赏析_古典文学网 at the Wayback Machine (archived 26 December 2012)
  4. Guanglushi (or 光禄寺) is the name of a type of clerk
  5. Yanshen Song, Zhiting Li and Tongce Wang, edited by Yuliang Sun, History of the Twenty Six Dynasties - Song Dynasty, Northern Women and Children Publishing Group, 1996, page 138
  6. "To the tune "Sands of the Washing Stream"—"A single new song, a single cup of wine" | Global Medieval Sourcebook". sourcebook.stanford.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  7. "To the tune "Sands of the Washing Stream... | The Global Medieval Sourcebook". sourcebook.stanford.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
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