What kind of person was Wen Yanbo, a politician in the Northern Song Dynasty?

In the fourth year of Shaosheng's reign (1097), he was conferred the title of Prince Shaobao. He died in the same year at the age of ninety-two. During the reign of Huizong, he and Sima Guang and others were merged into the Yuanyou Party Monument. Later, he was restored to the Grand Master and given the posthumous title of Zhonglie. In the sixty-first year of Kangxi's reign (1722), the temple was dedicated to the emperors of all dynasties.

Wen Yanbo experienced four dynasties of officials, heroes, gods, and philosophers, and was recommended to the second government. He changed his sword seven times and served as a general for fifty years. During his tenure as a censor in the palace, he enforced the law impartially and successfully resisted the invasion of Xixia. During his tenure as prime minister, he boldly put forward the idea of ??reducing the army by 80,000 people in order to streamline the military and streamline administration and reduce the burden on the people. He was called a wise prime minister by the world. There are forty volumes of "Wen Lu Gong Ji" and one of his poems is recorded in "Quan Song Ci".

What are Wen Yanbo’s anecdotes and allusions

Luoyang Senior Citizens Association

After Wen Yanbo retired to Luoyang, he, Fu Bi, Sima Guang and other thirteen people He admired the past events of Bai Juyi's Jiu Laohui, so he gathered the senior and virtuous officials from Luoyang. He believed that Luoyang's customs valued age rather than official position, so he built the "Qiying Hall" in Zishengyuan, which was called "Qiying Hall". "Luoyang Senior Citizens Association" allowed Zheng Huan, a Fujianese, to take a portrait in it. At that time, Fu Bi was seventy-nine years old, Wen Yanbo and Si Fenglang Xi Ruyan were both seventy-seven years old, Wang Shanggong, the court official, was seventy-six years old, Taichang Shaoqing Zhao Bing, secretary-supervisor Liu Ji, and Weizhou defense envoy Feng Xingji were already there. At the age of seventy-five, Wang Shenyan, the official of Chu Jianzhong and the court council official of Tianzhang Pavilion, was seventy-two years old, Zhang Wen, the official of Taizhong, and Zhang Tao, the direct scholar of Longtuge, were seventy years old. At that time, Wang Gongchen, the envoy of Xuanhui, was left behind in Beijing (Daming Prefecture). He wrote to Wen Yanbo and wanted to attend their meeting. Wang Gongchen was seventy-one years old. Only Sima Guang was not yet seventy years old, and Wen Yanbo always valued him, so he invited him to join the association according to the old practice of the Tang Dynasty when the nine elders and dignitaries were both ministers. Sima Guang did not dare to follow Fu and Wen because he was a latecomer. Wen Yanbo refused to listen and asked Zheng Huan to pass on Sima Guang's portrait from behind the scenes, and then go to Beijing to pass on Wang Gongchen's portrait. So thirteen people attended the meeting, and they drank and composed poems to entertain each other. At that time, there were many famous gardens and ancient temples in Luoyang, with the scenery of Shuizhulin Pavilion. Wen Yanbo and others had snow-white hair and eyebrows, and their appearance was dignified and beautiful. Every time there was a banquet, the people of Luoyang watched.

Because the concubine worshiped the prime minister

According to "Biyun Tao" written by Mei Yaochen, the father of Song Renzong's wife Zhang Guifei was once a disciple of Wen Yanbo's family. In order to consolidate her position in the harem, Concubine Zhang took the initiative to make friends with Wen Yanbo and treated him as uncle, so as to gain more external support in the competition for favor in the palace. At that time, Wen Yanbo was a Privy Councilor and the magistrate of Chengdu. Once, when the Lantern Festival was approaching, Concubine Zhang signaled Wen Yanbo to present a lantern brocade. Shu brocade is famous all over the world, especially Chengdu lantern brocade. This brocade pattern uses lanterns as the main body, decorated with tassels and bees, which symbolizes "a good harvest". Wen Yanbo immediately arranged for the lantern brocade to be made and delivered to the capital.

On the day of the Lantern Festival, Concubine Zhang specially wore clothes made of lantern brocade to see Song Renzong. Song Renzong exclaimed: "Where can I find this brocade?" Concubine Zhang replied: "This is what I want." Wen Yanbo from Chengdu had an old relationship with my father, so he is called uncle. However, how can I appoint a minister of the imperial court? It was Wen Yanbo who took the initiative to offer it to Your Majesty." Song Renzong was very happy and started from now on. Pay attention to Wen Yanbo. Soon, Song Renzong transferred Wen Yanbo back to serve as deputy envoy to the privy council, and then he was reassigned as counselor of political affairs. Later, this matter was reported to Tang Jie, and Wen Yanbo was transferred to Xuzhou. During the Shangyuan Festival of the next year, someone from the imperial court wrote a poem: "No one enters the lantern brocade anymore, and I remember the sycophant in the pink palace." Renzong also laughed after hearing this poem.

Smartening the crisis

When Wen Yanbo was working in Chengdu, he once hosted a banquet for guests on a snowy day, and the banquet was still late at night. Some of the accompanying soldiers complained loudly and tore down the well pavilion and burned it to avoid the cold. A military academy reported this to Wen Yanbo, and the guests at the banquet trembled with fear. Wen Yanbo said calmly: "The weather is indeed cold, so let them dismantle the well pavilion and warm themselves by the fire." After that, he continued to drink with a calm expression. The accompanying soldiers were discouraged and could no longer find excuses to cause trouble. The next day, Wen Yanbo found out who was the first to dismantle the well pavilion, beat the man with a stick and escorted him away.

Just in time

In the last years of Yuanfeng, Wen Yanbo became an official and returned to Luoyang. He was nearly eighty years old at that time. When Shenzong saw that he was in good health, he asked: "Do you have a way to maintain your health?" Wen Yanbo replied: "Nothing else. I just can do as I please, be leisurely and enjoy myself." , Don’t let external things hurt your harmony, don’t dare to do excessive things, just do things just right.” Shenzong believed that Wen Yanbo’s famous remarks were true.

Famous in the Four Barbarians

During the Yuanyou period, the Liao Dynasty sent envoys Yelu Yongchang and Liu Xiao to visit. Su Shi received them and paid homage to Zhezong together with the envoys. When the envoy saw Wen Yanbo outside the palace gate, he withdrew and changed his appearance and said, "Is this Duke Lu?" and asked Wen Yanbo how old he was. After Su Shi answered, the envoy said: "How come he is so strong even though he is so old?" Su Shi said: "The envoy only saw his appearance and did not hear his words. He dealt with all kinds of things very skillfully, even as a young man. He can't catch up with him; his knowledge extends from ancient times to the present, even if he is a famous scholar, he is not as good as him." The envoy said with admiration: "Wen Yanbo is really a stranger in the world." After Wen Yanbo returned to Luoyang, Wen Xi, the leader of the Xiqiang, wanted a famous horse in his heart. Officials were willing to give famous horses to Wen Yanbo, and Zhe Zong gave special permission. He was respected by other people to such an extent.

Revere him like a god

Cai Sui recorded in "Tiewei Shan Cong Tan": When he was a child, he played with a group of companions.

Just when Wen Yanbo and Han Qi were talking, the elders would definitely change their expressions and admonish: "Youngsters, don't talk nonsense!" At that time, it had been decades since the death of the two of them, and they were still admirable like gods. Same.

Believe in Buddhism

Wen Yanbo believed in Buddhism, even more so in his later years. He never slacked off in the morning or evening, whether walking, standing, sitting or lying down. Zeng and Master Jingyin gathered 100,000 people to hold a Pure Land ceremony.

Water Float

Wen Yanbo has been very smart since he was a child. Once, he and several companions were playing football on the grass. By accident, the ball fell into a tree hole. The companions lay down at the entrance of the hole and couldn't reach the ball. They couldn't reach it when they used sticks to move the ball in the hole. When everyone was anxious, Wen Yanbo came up with a good way to pour water into the tree hole. When the water was full, the ball floated out. This is the story of "Wen Yanbo Filling the Floating Ball".