Ouyang Xiu

Ouyang Xiu
歐陽脩
A contemporary drawing of Ouyang Xiu
BornAugust 1, 1007
Mian Prefecture, Song
DiedSeptember 22, 1072(1072-09-22) (aged 65)
Occupation(s)Calligrapher, classicist, epigrapher, essayist, poet, politician
Spouses
  • Lady Xu (胥氏)
  • Lady Yang (楊氏)
  • Lady Xue (薛氏)
Children
  • Ouyang Fa (歐陽發) (son)
  • Ouyang Yi (歐陽奕) (son)
  • Ouyang Fei (歐陽棐) (son)
  • Ouyang Bian (歐陽辯) (son)
  • Ouyang Shi (歐陽師) (daughter)
Parents
  • Ouyang Guan (歐陽觀) (father)
  • Lady Zheng (鄭氏) (mother)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese歐陽
Simplified Chinese欧阳
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinŌuyáng Xiū
Gwoyeu RomatzyhOuyang Shiou
Wade–GilesOu1-yang2 Hsiu1
IPA[óʊ.jǎŋ ɕjóʊ]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationĀu-yèuhng Sāu
JyutpingAu1-joeng4 Sau1
Southern Min
Hokkien POJAu-iông Siu
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese'Uw-yang Sjuw
Ouyang Yongshu
(courtesy name)
Traditional Chinese歐陽
Simplified Chinese欧阳
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinŌuyáng Yǒngshū
Zuiweng
(art name)
Chinese
Literal meaning"Drunken Old Man"
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZuìwēng
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationJeui-yūng
JyutpingZeoi3-jung1
Southern Min
Hokkien POJTsuì-ong
Liu Yi Jushi
(art name)
Chinese居士
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLiù Yī jūshì
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationLuhk Yāt gēui-sih
Southern Min
Hokkien POJLio̍k-it ku-sū
Wenzhong
(posthumous name)
Chinese文忠[note 1]
Literal meaningCultured and Loyal
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinWénzhōng
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationMàhn-jūng
Southern Min
Hokkien POJBûn-tiong
Letter by Ouyang Xiu

Ouyang Xiu (Chinese: 歐陽脩; pinyin: Ōuyáng Xiū; Wade–Giles: Ou-Yang Hsiu; 1007 – 1072 CE),[1] courtesy name Yongshu, also known by his art names Zuiweng (醉翁) and Liu Yi Jushi (六一居士), was a Chinese historian, calligrapher, epigrapher, essayist, poet, and politician of the Song dynasty. He was a renowned writer among his contemporaries and is considered the central figure of the Eight Masters of the Tang and Song. He revived the Classical Prose Movement (first begun by the two Tang dynasty masters two centuries before him) and promoted it in imperial examinations, paving the way for future masters like Su Shi and Su Zhe.

Ouyang Xiu's interests as a writer were remarkably diverse. As a historian, he was put in charge by Emperor Renzong of Song of creating the New Book of Tang, which was completed in 1060 CE. He also wrote in his spare time the Historical Records of the Five Dynasties, the only book in the Twenty-Four Histories to have been written in private by a single author. As a poet, he was a noted writer of both the and shi genres. But it was his prose writings like Zuiwengting Ji that won him the greatest acclaim. Treatises from Ouyang's voluminous œuvre range from studies of flowers to literary criticism and political commentaries.

Politically, Ouyang Xiu was one of the major proponents of the Qingli Reforms of the 1040s. When lead reformer Fan Zhongyan fell from power in 1045 CE, Ouyang was also demoted to posts away from the capital. He returned to the central government only in 1054, and gradually moved up the bureaucratic ladder again, until in 1060 he was made the assistant councilor of the state. He retired from politics in 1071, after vehemently (and unsuccessfully) opposing the New Policies of Wang Anshi, whose career he very much helped.


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  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Britannica was invoked but never defined (see the help page).