Yan Shu (, 991 – 1055) was a Chinese calligrapher, essayist, poet, and politician of the

Song dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the res ...

. He was given the posthumous title of Yuanxian () as well as bestowed the title of Duke of Linzi. 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. During his lifetime, Yan Shu had composed over 10,000 Ci poems, but most have been lost. Of the remaining, the Pearl Jade (), 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》. Together with

Ouyang Xiu Ouyang Xiu (; 1007 – 1072 CE), courtesy name Yongshu, also known by his art names Zuiweng () and Liu Yi Jushi (), was a Chinese historian, calligrapher, epigrapher, essayist, poet, and politician of the Song dynasty. He was a renowned writer ...

, they were referred to as "Yan-Ou". He was a scholar of the

Hanlin Academy The Hanlin Academy was an academic and administrative institution of higher learning founded in the 8th century Tang China by Emperor Xuanzong in Chang'an. Membership in the academy was confined to an elite group of scholars, who performed se ...

, 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 (). The then prime minister Kou Zhun () expressed that Yan Shu was an outsider from which Emperor Zong replied: “Was not Zhang Jiuling also an outsider at the time?”

Beginnings of Officialdom

Starting from 1008, Yan Shu served as an assistant to a ''Guanglushi'' official 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 () of the Hu Bu (Ministry of Revenue), he became a close confidant to the crown prince. He also became a scholar of the

.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

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yan, Shu 991 births 1055 deaths 11th-century Chinese calligraphers 11th-century Chinese poets Artists from Fuzhou Poets from Jiangxi Politicians from Fuzhou, Jiangxi Song dynasty calligraphers Song dynasty essayists Song dynasty poets Song dynasty politicians from Jiangxi