"One father, two sons, three talented scholars; four great masters of ancient literature." Su Xun, Su Shi, and Su Zhe, the three fathers and sons of the Su family, occupy three seats among the Eight Masters of Tang and Song dynasties, and their reputation has been passed down through the ages. Among them, Su Shi, also known as Su Dongpo, is particularly admired not only for his talents but also for his enduring charisma and refined sentiment that shine through the ages."
The Su Clan Temple
The Su Clan Temple is located in Meishan City, Sichuan Province. It was originally the residence of the three generations of the Su family. It was converted into a temple during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and underwent multiple renovations and expansions. It was destroyed during the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) due to warfare. It was rebuilt on the original site in the fourth year of Emperor Kangxi's reign of the Qing Dynasty (1665), and it is now a classical garden covering an area of over 100 acres. The temple houses statues of Su Xun, Su Shi, Su Zhe, and other family members, as well as relics such as a wooden rockery hall, an ancient well, and a wash basin used by the Su family. It also houses over 5,000 pieces of literature and cultural relics related to the Su family, making it a renowned cultural landscape in Sichuan.
The Three Su Fathers and Sons
"The Three Su" refers to the three father and sons: Su Xun, Su Shi, and Su Zhe. The term "The Three Su" was first mentioned in Wang Pizhi's "Mianshui Yantanlu" during the Song Dynasty, which said, 'The Su family's literature is unrivaled in the world, and their works are called the 'Three Su.' It refers to Su Xun as "Old Su," Su Shi as "Great Su," and Su Zhe as "Little Su."
The "Three Su" were all famous literary figures, thinkers, and statesmen during the Northern Song Dynasty. The three of them made remarkable achievements in literature, each with their own distinctive style. They were praised as the "refined old spring, the unrestrained Dongpo, and the elegant Yingbin," and were included among the Eight Masters of Tang and Song dynasties.
Su Xun (1009-1066), courtesy name Mingyun, and also known as Laoquan. In his youth, Su Xun enjoyed traveling to famous mountains and rivers. At the age of 27, he began to devote himself to studying, focusing on the "Six Classics" and the works of various scholars, deeply examining the success and failure of the past and present. In the early Jia You years, he was recommended by Zhang Fangping, the Governor of Chengdu, and Lei Jianfu, the Governor of Yazhou, and brought his two sons, Su Shi and Su Zhe, to the capital. He met Ouyang Xiu, a scholar-official, and presented him with 22 articles, including "The Righteousness Book," "The Harmony Debate," and "The Strategy Machine." The articles caused a sensation in the capital, and scholars across the country imitated them. Afterwards, he was recommended and appointed as the Imperial Academy Editing Scholar and the Main Clerk of Baozhou Wen'an County. He and Yao Bi, the Prefect of Xiangcheng, and others jointly edited the "Tai Chang Yin Ge Li" of one hundred volumes. After the completion of the book, he passed away at the age of 58 and was posthumously appointed as the Chief of the Guanglu Temple and the Grand Preceptor of the Crown Prince, and was known as "Wen Gong."
Su Shi (1037-1101), the eldest son of Su Xun, given the courtesy name Zizhan, and also known as Dongpo. In the second year of Jiayou (1057), he passed the imperial examination and achieved the position of Scholar. He served as a scholar-official, a professor at the Imperial Academy, and a reader-in-waiting at the Duanming Hall. He served as officials in various places, such as Fengxiang, Mizhou, Xuzhou, Huzhou, Dengzhou, Hangzhou, Yingzhou, Yangzhou, and Dingzhou, and achieved remarkable political achievements. In his later years, he was exiled to Huizhou and Danzhou, and passed away due to illness in Changzhou. He was posthumously promoted to Grand Preceptor and conferred the title of "Wen Zhong."
Su Shi is a rare versatile genius in Chinese history. His prose represents the highest achievement of the ancient prose movement in the Northern Song Dynasty. His poems, known as "Su Shi's poems," represent the highest level of Song Dynasty poetry. His lyrics, called "Su Shi's lyrics," created a bold and unrestrained style. He created a new generation of literary articles and pioneered the genre of enlightened and concise essays. He established the "Shangyi" style of calligraphy, one of the "Four Masters of the Song Dynasty." He was the advocate of Chinese literati paintings, and his painting theories influenced generations of artists. He also wrote extensively about agriculture, water conservancy, medicine, military affairs, music, cooking, and health, among other fields. Su Shi's influence has transcended time and space, becoming an outstanding representative of Chinese literati.
Su Zhe (1039-1112), the second son of Su Xun, given the courtesy name Ziyuan and also known as Tongshu. Under the influence of his father and brother, Su Zhe had a broad knowledge from an early age and had great ambitions. At the age of 19, he passed the imperial examination together with his brother, Su Shi. He served successively as an official in charge of textual research at the Three-Rank System Division, a professor in Chenzhou, a chief scribe in Qizhou, and a signing official in Nanjing. Later, he was demoted and served in Yunzhou Salt Tax in Xuanzhou because of some issues. In the first year of the Yuanyou reign of Emperor Zhezong of Song (1086), Su Zhe was summoned back to the imperial court as an achievement Xi prefect, and within seven years, he was promoted eight times, eventually becoming the Deputy Minister of the Secretariat. He made significant political achievements. Later, he was again demoted to Yunzhou, and he was exiled far away to Lingnan. After being pardoned and returned north, he lived in Yingchang (now Xuchang, Henan), secluded from the public and devoted himself to writing. He passed away in the second year of Zhenghe reign of Emperor Huizong of the Southern Song Dynasty (1112) at the age of 74 and was posthumously conferred the title of "Wen Ding."
The Su Clan Temple's front hall
The Su Family's Tradition and Family Precepts
"The three geniuses, unparalleled in the past or present, their wisdom and literature are as vast as the rivers and the earth." The reason why the Three Su have been widely acclaimed throughout the ages is closely related to their profound family traditions. The Su family has a strong family culture, and all three generations, Su Xun, Su Shi, and Su Zhe, left behind a large amount of literature and poetry related to family traditions and teachings.
Su Xun wrote a genealogy of the Su family, including six sections: "Genealogy Example," "Su Clan Genealogy," "Postscript to the Genealogy - Upper Volume," "Postscript to the Genealogy - Lower Volume," "Universal Law of the Great Clan," and "Su Clan Genealogy Pavilion Record." It outlines the origin and development of the Su family, recording the good deeds and moral teachings of the Su ancestors, educating descendants to remember their ancestors, practice filial piety and loyalty, promote harmony and love, and inherit and carry forward the fine traditions of their ancestors. In addition, Su Xun wrote "The Meaning of Naming Two Sons," explaining the reason for naming his two sons and expressing his hopes and admonitions to them.
Su Shi also attached great importance to summarizing the family's fine traditions and educating his children and nephews. He wrote about his mother, Lady Cheng, and her actions in raising her children in works such as "Not Hiding Valuables at Night" and "Not Harassing Birds and Small Animals," promoting the moral concepts of kindness, generosity, and sincerity. He educated his brother and nephews through various poetic works and letters.
Su Shi and Su Zhe had a deep affection for each other. Su Shi regarded his brother as not only a brother but also a wise friend, while Su Zhe regarded his brother as both a brother and a teacher. Over the decades, the two brothers encouraged each other, writing poems and exchanging letters without interruption, leaving behind many touching works such as "Farewell to Ziyuan," "Sending Ziyuan on a Mission to the Khitan," "Nostalgia at Mianchi," and "Sending Ziyuan in Prison." Su Shi also taught his descendants to read history books and advised them not to pursue only flowery rhetoric but to focus on practicality. In terms of character, he taught them to remain unyielding and bold. In a letter to his nephew Yuan'ao, he mentioned that although he was exiled to Hainan and living a life similar to that of an ascetic monk, he remained content and unaffected, maintaining his principles.
In addition, Su Zhe's grandson, Su Zhou, compiled a book called "Luan City Last Words," which recorded the sayings of Su Zhe, as a reflection of the family's traditions and teachings.