A Scholar’s Dilemma in the Song Dynasty

In the eighth month of 1070, the Song Dynasty’s imperial court was a battleground of political ideologies. Sima Guang, one of the most respected statesmen and historians of his time, stood before Emperor Shenzong in the Chuigong Hall, requesting to leave the capital. His plea was not born of weariness but of profound disillusionment. He sought either a governorship in Xuzhou or a minor post in Luoyang, the secondary capital—a place far removed from the political machinations of Kaifeng, where Wang Anshi’s radical reforms held sway.

Shenzong, desperate to retain Sima Guang’s counsel, offered him the prestigious position of Vice Military Commissioner. Yet this only deepened Sima Guang’s resolve. “I have already declined the post of Hanlin Academician,” he replied. “How could I accept a promotion?” When the emperor pressed for an explanation, Sima Guang’s response was terse and final: “Your servant dares not remain.”

This moment encapsulated a broader crisis in the Song court—a clash between reformist zeal and conservative pragmatism, between loyalty to the throne and fidelity to principle.

The Fracturing of Trust

Sima Guang’s disillusionment stemmed from more than policy disagreements. The emperor’s suggestion that his standing in court depended on Wang Anshi’s goodwill was a bitter revelation. “Since Wang Anshi became chancellor,” Sima Guang argued, “I have opposed him repeatedly. Look at what befell Lü Gongzhu and Su Shi—men of integrity slandered and exiled for dissent.”

The case of Su Shi was particularly telling. Accused of misconduct during his father’s funeral procession—a politically motivated investigation—Su Shi was exonerated but left traumatized. The timing was no accident: Sima Guang and Fan Zhen had just recommended Su Shi for the critical role of Remonstrance Official, a position that would allow him to challenge Wang Anshi’s policies. The investigation was a warning.

The Weaponization of Institutions

Wang Anshi’s tactics extended beyond personal attacks. When the brilliant scholar Kong Wenzhong topped the prestigious “Worthy and Virtuous” civil service exam with a critique of the New Policies, Wang Anshi intervened. Emperor Shenzong, at his behest, disqualified Kong, declaring his essay “misguided and slanderous.” Examiners like Han Wei protested in vain. The message was clear: dissent would not be tolerated, even in institutions designed to foster honest debate.

Sima Guang, though not directly involved, saw the parallels to an earlier era. In 1061, Su Shi’s brother Su Zhe had harshly criticized Emperor Renzong in his exam—yet was still admitted. Under Wang Anshi, such tolerance was unthinkable.

The Retreat of the Virtuous

Faced with an increasingly hostile court, Sima Guang and like-minded officials chose self-imposed exile. As his contemporary Chen Xiang noted, “In ancient times, those who disagreed could leave for Qi, Chu, or Song. Now, there is but one sovereign under heaven.” For these men, withdrawing to minor posts—or “declining high office for lowly duties,” as Mencius advised—was the only honorable recourse.

Even this drew Wang Anshi’s ire. When Chen Xiang resigned a coveted secretarial post, Wang Anshi accused him of “undermining the dignity of the throne.” The subtext was unmistakable: any act of principled resistance would be framed as disloyalty.

Legacy of a Fractured Court

Sima Guang’s departure for Yongxing Army in September 1070 marked more than a personal defeat. It signaled the triumph of ideological rigidity over the Confucian ideal of balanced governance. His later return under Emperor Zhezong—and the reversal of Wang Anshi’s reforms—would prove fleeting. Yet his Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government endured as a testament to his belief in history’s lessons.

The events of 1070 reveal a timeless tension: the conflict between transformative vision and institutional restraint, between the fervor of reformers and the caution of traditionalists. In Sima Guang’s defiance, we see the enduring struggle to reconcile principle with power.