Page "Song Dynasty" Paragraph 9

During the 11th century, political rivalries thoroughly divided members of the court due to the ministers ' differing approaches, opinions, and policies regarding the handling of the Song's complex society and thriving economy.

The idealist Chancellor, Fan Zhongyan ( 989 – 1052 ), was the first to receive a heated political backlash when he attempted to make such reforms as improving the recruitment system of officials, increasing the salaries for minor officials, and establishing sponsorship programs to allow a wider range of people to be well educated and eligible for state service.

After Fan was forced to step down from his office, Wang Anshi ( 1021 – 1086 ) became Chancellor of the imperial court.

With the backing of Emperor Shenzong ( 1067 – 1085 ), Wang Anshi severely criticized the educational system and state bureaucracy.

Seeking to resolve what he saw as state corruption and negligence, Wang implemented a series of reforms called the New Policies.

These involved land tax reform, the establishment of several government monopolies, the support of local militias, and the creation of higher standards for the Imperial examination to make it more practical for men skilled in statecraft to pass.

The reforms created political factions in the court.

Wang Anshi's New Policies Group ( Xin Fa ), also known as the ' Reformers ', were opposed by the ministers in the ' Conservative ' faction led by the historian and Chancellor Sima Guang ( 1019 – 1086 ).

As one faction supplanted another in the majority position of the court ministers, it would demote rival officials and exile them to govern remote frontier regions of the empire.

One of the prominent victims of the political rivalry, the famous poet and statesman Su Shi ( 1037 – 1101 ), was jailed and eventually exiled for criticizing Wang's reforms.