Writers › Writer / Poet

Su Shi (Su Dongpo)

Northern Song writer, calligrapher and official, exiled to Huangzhou after the Crow Terrace poetry trial and later to Huizhou and Hainan

Also known as Zi Zizhan · Hao Dong Po Ju Shi · Su Dongpo · Wen Zhong · Zi Hezhong

Su Shi, courtesy names Zizhan and Hezhong, styled Dongpo Jushi, came from Meishan in Meizhou (Sichuan) and was the son of Su Xun. He passed the jinshi examination in 1057 together with his brother Su Zhe, then opposed Wang Anshi's New Policies and asked for posts away from the capital at Hangzhou, Mizhou, Xuzhou and Huzhou. In 1079 he was jailed by the Censorate for poems said to mock the government, the Crow Terrace case, and was sent to Huangzhou as a militia vice-commissioner; both Red Cliff rhapsodies and the lyric Recalling Antiquity at Red Cliff were written there. Recalled under Yuanyou, he became a Hanlin academician and Minister of Rites, but from 1094 he was banished to Huizhou and in 1097 to Danzhou on Hainan. Pardoned in 1101, he died at Changzhou on the way north, and Emperor Xiaozong later granted him the posthumous name Wenzhong. Ming anthologists placed him, his father and his brother among the Eight Masters of Tang and Song prose.

Life and times

  1. 1037 CEBornSong
  2. 1079Su Shi's Crow Terrace Poetry Caseage 42In 1079 censors charged Su Shi, prefect of Huzhou, with mocking the new laws in his poems; he was jailed and tried at the Censorate and then banished to Huangzhou.
  3. 1101 CEDied

Works

  1. Literature · Sayings53
    1. A Wild Goose's Tracks in the SnowSongIdiom from a Su Shi poem to his brother: faint traces of the past, a life's wandering tracks
    2. Life Is But a DreamSongIdiom from Su Shi's Red Cliff lyric: life as a brief, illusory dream
    3. When the Water Falls, the Rocks AppearSongIdiom from Su Shi's Latter Rhapsody on the Red Cliff: the truth fully coming to light
    4. Having the Whole Bamboo in One's MindSongIdiom from Su Shi's essay on Wen Tong's bamboo: having a complete plan in mind beforehand
    5. Joy Beyond ExpectationSongIdiom from a Su Shi letter: overjoyed at an unexpected blessing
    6. +25 more
      1. Never Tired of RereadingSongIdiom from a Su Shi poem: writing so good one never tires of rereading it
      2. A Grain of Millet in the Vast SeaSongIdiom from Su Shi's First Rhapsody on the Red Cliff: a grain of millet in the vast sea
      3. Joys and Sorrows, Partings and ReunionsSongIdiom from Su Shi's Mid-Autumn lyric: life's joys and sorrows, partings and reunions
      4. Gone in Ash and SmokeSongIdiom from Su Shi's Red Cliff lyric: vanishing in an instant like ash and smoke
      5. A Landscape Like a PaintingSongIdiom from Su Shi's Red Cliff lyric: a landscape lovely as a painting
      6. Not Knowing Mount Lu's True FaceSongIdiom from Su Shi's Written on the Wall of Xilin Temple: too close to see the whole picture
      7. Feather Fan and Silk KerchiefSongIdiom from Su Shi's Red Cliff lyric: the poised elegance of a scholar-general
      8. The Great River Flows EastSongOpening of Su Shi's Red Cliff lyric: emblem of the heroic style, or of passing history
      9. Lingering Notes Curling in the AirSongIdiom from Su Shi's First Rhapsody on the Red Cliff: music that lingers in the air
      10. Jade Towers and Jasper HallsSongIdiom popularized by Su Shi's moon lyric: jade towers, palatial splendor or fairyland
      11. Straightening the Robe and Sitting UprightSongIdiom from the Shiji, used in Su Shi's Red Cliff rhapsody: sitting upright, solemn and formal
      12. Writing That Wells Up Like a Boundless SpringSongLine from Su Shi's On My Writing: prose flowing like a spring, shaped by what it meets
      13. As If Sobbing, As If PleadingSongIdiom from Su Shi's First Ode on the Red Cliff: a sound mournful as weeping
      14. High Mountains and a Small Moon Over Red CliffSongAphorism from Su Shi's Second Ode on the Red Cliff: a stark winter night by the river
      15. Passing Over Every Cold BranchSongFamous line from Su Shi's Divination Song: a lone goose that will not settle for less
      16. The Chill Spring Wind That SobersSongFamous line from Su Shi's Calming the Waves: a chill spring wind and a calm heart
      17. Hair Gone Gray Before Its TimeSongFamous line from Su Shi's Red Cliff song: graying early with ambitions unfulfilled
      18. Cups and Plates Strewn About After the FeastSongIdiom from Su Shi's First Rhapsody on the Red Cliff: the happy clutter after a night's feast
      19. Water Shimmering in the Sun on West LakeSongFamous line from Su Shi's Drinking on the Lake: West Lake glittering in sunshine
      20. Light or Rich Makeup, Always BecomingSongIdiom from Su Shi's poem on West Lake in sun and rain: lovely however adorned
      21. Seeing and Hearing for Oneself at Stone Bell MountainSongIdiom from Su Shi's Record of Stone Bell Mountain: see and hear for yourself before judging
      22. Gazing at Each Other in Silence, Tears in a Thousand LinesSongFamous line from Su Shi's elegy for his wife: meeting in a dream, gazing in silence
      23. Bamboo Staff and Straw Sandals, Lighter Than a HorseSongFamous line from Su Shi's Calming the Waves: carefree in bamboo staff and straw sandals
      24. Floating Free of the World at Red CliffSongIdiom from Su Shi's First Rhapsody on Red Cliff: drifting as if free of the world
      25. As the Moon Has Its Dim and Full PhasesSongLine from Su Shi's Mid-Autumn lyric: the moon, like life, is rarely full
    7. Open all works→
  2. Literature · Prose51
    1. Treatise on the Marquis of LiuSongSu Shi's essay on Zhang Liang and the old man at the bridge: true courage lies in forbearance
    2. Treatise on Jia YiSongSu Shi's essay arguing that Jia Yi failed not for want of a ruler but for want of patience
    3. Record of Stone Bell MountainSongSu Shi's record of a night boat trip to learn why Stone Bell Mountain is so named
    4. Postscript on Wu Daozi's PaintingsSongSu Shi's 1085 colophon ranking Wu Daozi in painting with Du Fu, Han Yu and Yan Zhenqing
    5. Letter in Reply to Xie MinshiSongSu Shi's late letter to Xie Minshi on the road back from Hainan, his credo of clear writing
    6. +25 more
      1. A Night Stroll at Chengtian TempleSongSu Shi's sketch of under a hundred characters on a moonlit walk with Zhang Huaimin in exile
      2. On Rewards and Punishments as the Height of Loyal GenerositySongSu Shi's examination essay: when reward or punishment is in doubt, lean to generosity
      3. Treatise on Fan ZengSongSu Shi on Fan Zeng, Xiang Yu's adviser, who left his lord too late
      4. Treatise on Chao CuoSongSu Shi on the death of Chao Cuo, who provoked a revolt and then sought his own safety
      5. Letter to Lecturer MeiSongSu Shi thanks his examiner Lecturer Mei, on the joy of being known by true friends
      6. Record of the Pavilion of Welcome RainSongSu Shi names his Fufeng pavilion for the rain that ended a drought, and asks who gave it
      7. Record of the Terrace Above the VoidSongSu Shi on Governor Chen's new terrace, reading in it the rise and ruin of all things
      8. Record of the Terrace of TranscendenceSongSu Shi on the old terrace he restored at Jiaoxi, and the joy of roaming beyond things
      9. Record of the Crane-Releasing PavilionSongSu Shi on a Pengcheng hermit's crane pavilion, setting cranes against wine
      10. Stele for the Temple of Han Wengong at ChaozhouSongSu Shi's stele for the new Han Yu temple at Chaozhou, praising Han Yu's flood-like spirit
      11. Memorial Asking to Edit Lu Zhi's Memorials for the ThroneSongSu Shi and fellow lecturers ask to edit Lu Zhi's Tang memorials for the emperor
      12. Biography of Master FangshanSongSu Shi's sketch of his old friend Chen Zao, a bold swordsman turned hermit
      13. King Ping and the Move EastSongSu Shi on King Ping's flight east to Luoyi, which threw away the whole Zhou inheritance
      14. Duke Yin of LuSongSu Shi on Duke Yin of Lu, too slow to strike first, and others caught in the plots of traitors
      15. Fan Li and the Crow's BeakSongSu Shi on Fan Li, who left Yue in time but never let go of wealth, and on Wu Zixu and Wen Zhong
      16. Retainers and Knights of the Warring StatesSongSu Shi on the retainers of the Warring States, and why Qin fell once they had no place
      17. The First Emperor and FusuSongSu Shi on how the First Emperor's eunuch and his harsh laws let a forged edict kill his heir
      18. Treatise on Yi YinSongSu Shi on Yi Yin, trusted to depose his king because nothing in the realm could move him
      19. Treatise on XunziSongSu Shi blames Xunzi's taste for bold, strange theories for his pupil Li Si's ruin of the realm
      20. Treatise on Han FeiSongSu Shi traces the cruelty of Shang Yang and Han Fei back to Laozi and Zhuangzi
      21. Treatise on the First Emperor and the RitesSongSu Shi on the First Emperor, who threw out the rites for the sake of convenience
      22. Treatise on Great Ministers, Part OneSongSu Shi on why striking down a ruler's favourites, even with success, ruined Han and Tang
      23. Treatise on Great Ministers, Part TwoSongSu Shi on undoing a faction of petty men: give them room, wait, keep the leaders united
      24. Letter Remonstrating against War, Written for Zhang FangpingSongWriting for Zhang Fangping, Su Shi shows the ruin war brought even victors and begs for peace
      25. Policy Outline, Part OneSongSu Shi likens a listless realm to a hidden illness and calls on the ruler to act
  3. Literature · Lyrics13
    1. Prelude to Water Melody · When Will the Moon Be Clear and Bright?SongSu Shi's Mid-Autumn ci from Mizhou, a toast to the moon for his absent brother Su Zhe
    2. Charm of Niannu · Memories of the Red CliffsSongSu Shi's heroic-style ci from exile in Huangzhou, recalling Zhou Yu at the Red Cliffs
    3. Calming the Waves (Listen Not to Rain Pelting Leaves)SongSu Shi's ci on being caught in the rain in Huangzhou exile, a calm stance toward life's storms
    4. Jiang Cheng Zi (Dream on the Night of the 20th of the 1st Month)SongSu Shi's elegy for his late wife Wang Fu, written after dreaming of her ten years on
    5. Jiang Cheng Zi (Hunting at Mizhou)SongSu Shi's hunting ci as prefect of Mizhou, an early landmark of the heroic style
    6. +8 more
      1. Song of Divination (Dwelling at Dinghui Temple in Huangzhou)SongSu Shi's ci from his first lodging in Huangzhou exile, a lone wild goose as self-portrait
      2. Immortal by the River · Drinking by Night at the Eastern SlopeSongSu Shi's mid-length ci: home late and locked out, he listens to the river and dreams of escape
      3. Congratulating the Bridegroom · Young Swallows in a Fine HallSongSu Shi's long ci pairing a lady alone on a summer day with a late-blooming pomegranate flower
      4. Song of the Cave Immortal · A Summer Night: Skin of Ice, Bones of JadeSongSu Shi's mid-length ci of a cool summer night in a water palace and the years changing unseen
      5. Butterflies Love Flowers · Spring Scene: Laughter beyond the WallSongSu Shi's mid-length ci of late spring, a swing behind a wall and a passer-by left vexed
      6. Water Dragon Chant · Like a Flower, Yet Not a FlowerSongSu Shi's long ci on willow catkins, matching a friend's rhymes: they drift like parting tears
      7. Joy of Lasting Meeting · The Moon Bright as FrostSongSu Shi's long ci of a night at Swallow Tower, a broken dream, and all of history a dream
      8. Green Jade Cup · Three Years of Dreaming of the Road to WuSongSu Shi's mid-length ci seeing a friend home to Wu and longing for his own return to the lakes
  4. Literature · Poetry10
    1. Replying to Ziyou's Poem Recalling Old Times at MianchiSongSu Shi's reply to his brother Su Zhe, recalling Mianchi and life's traces like prints in snow
    2. On Huichong's Painting 'Spring River at Dusk', No. 1SongSu Shi's poem on a painting by the monk Huichong, reading early spring in ducks and river reeds
    3. Written on the Wall of Xilin TempleSongSu Shi's quatrain on a Lushan temple wall: why no one sees the mountain whole from inside it
    4. Drinking on the Lake, First Clear, Then Rain, No. 2SongSu Shi's quatrain on West Lake in sun and rain, likening it to the beauty Xi Shi
    5. Crabapple BlossomSongSu Shi in exile at Huangzhou, lighting tall candles so the crabapple blossom will not sleep
    6. +5 more
      1. Flower ShadowsSongQuatrain traditionally credited to Su Shi, on flower shadows that no broom can sweep away
      2. Spring NightSongSu Shi's quatrain on a precious spring night of song and quiet, its first line now a proverb
      3. Attending the Lantern Festival BanquetSongSu Shi's quatrain from a Lantern Festival court banquet, picturing the palace as heaven
      4. The Mid-Autumn MoonSongSu Shi's quatrain from a Mid-Autumn night with his brother Su Zhe, aware reunions pass
      5. For Liu JingwenSongSu Shi's early-winter quatrain to a friend: when lotus and chrysanthemum fade, oranges ripen
  5. Literature · Rhapsodies7
    1. First Rhapsody on the Red CliffSongSu Shi's prose-poem from a moonlit boat at Red Cliff, a dialogue on change and the changeless
    2. Latter Rhapsody on the Red CliffSongSu Shi's second Red Cliff prose-poem: a winter climb, a lone crane, and a Daoist in a dream
    3. Inscription for the Hall of Three Pagoda TreesSongSu Shi on the Wang family hall, where three trees planted by an ancestor foretold ministers
    4. Inscription for the Lotus Clepsydra of XuzhouSongSu Shi's inscription for Xuzhou's rebuilt water clock: officials should keep measure like it
    5. Inscription for the Terrace of the Nine MovementsSongSu Shi at Shaozhou: the lost Shao music still sounds through heaven and earth
    6. +2 more
      1. In Praise of Han Gan's Painted HorsesSongSu Shi on four horses by Han Gan, neither stabled nor wild, at ease by the water
      2. In Praise of Wen Yuke's Flying-White CalligraphySongSeeing Wen Tong's flying-white script after his death, Su Shi finds he barely knew his friend
  6. Literature · Criticism1
    1. On WritingSongSu Shi's brief note likening his writing to an endless spring that takes any shape it meets
  7. Treasures · Brushwork4
    1. Su Shi, Cold Food ObservanceNorthern Song dynastyCalligraphy born of exile, ranked third under heaven
    2. Su Shi, First Ode on the Red CliffNorthern Song dynasty, 1083The Red Cliff ode in Su Shi's own hand
    3. Su Shi, LetterNorthern Song dynastyA letter from Su Shi
    4. Xinsui Zhanqing and Renlai Deshu LettersNorthern Song dynastyTwo letters from Su Shi to Chen Zao

Family tree

  1. Direct kin
    Su Xun
    Father
    Su ZheYounger brother
    Su Shi (Su Dongpo)
    Wife
    Wang Fu

Connections

  1. Shared events1
    1. Zhao Xu1048 CE–1085 CE