In the Song Dynasty, which was highly economically and culturally prosperous, literati and scholars frequently appeared, and scholars regarded participating in scientific examinations and realizing political ambitions as the highest pursuit in life, and the only way out. At that time, entering the museum, entering the pavilion, ordering Hanlin, and becoming a bachelor were the life climbs of scholars, and it was also a sign of the success of their careers.
Mei Yaochen, known as Mr. Wanling, was born in an ordinary small bureaucratic family, and his father was a modest official, so he had to barely make ends meet. Although he was poor when he was a child, Mei Yaochen was influenced by his parents' educational concepts since he was a child and loved to read. At the age of sixteen, he took the township examination, but was not admitted. Due to the poverty of his family, he could not afford to continue his studies again, so Mei Yaochen had to follow his uncle Mei Xun to travel around.
After more than ten years of travel, Mei Yaochen has been to Xiangyang, Hubei, Luoyang, Henan, Chizhou, Anhui and other places, and has seen the great rivers and mountains of the motherland and broadened his horizons. Although he was depressed in the officialdom, Mei Yaochen's poetry creation was well-known in the poetry world at that time, he had a unique view on writing poetry, contrary to the Xikun style of poetry, put forward a realistic creative style, often expressed his feelings with simple and plain poems, reflected social reality, and opposed the diseaseless moaning without real emotions.
After traveling for thirteen years, Mei Yaochen served as Taimiao Zhailang with Enyin, and later served as the chief secretary of Tongcheng, Henan, and Heyang counties. During his tenure in Henan, he was appreciated by the famous poet Qian Weiyan at that time, and with his support, Mei Yaochen also met like-minded friends such as Ouyang Xiu and Yin Zhu. Ouyang Xiu admired Mei Yaochen's poems very much, and once thought that his poems were inferior to Mei Yaochen, and Mei Yaochen also actively supported Ouyang Xiu's ancient literature movement.
Under the strong recommendation of Ouyang Xiu and others, Mei Yaochen's officialdom career has changed. In the third year of Emperor You's reign (1051), the 50-year-old Mei Yaochen was summoned by Song Renzong to take the examination, and was given the birth of Tongjinshi, and served as a dedication official with the position of Dr. Taichang. In the first year of Jiayou (1056), Ouyang Xiu and others recommended Mei Yaochen. In the following year, Mei Yaochen was appointed as a member of Tuntian, serving as the editor of the Book of Tang and the direct lecturer of the Guozijian. In the same year, Ouyang Xiu and others knew the tribute, and Mei Yaochen served as the official of the examination papers. Mei Yaochen once praised Su Shi's article in the reading of the papers, recommended it to Ouyang Xiu, and admitted Su Shi as the second place.
In the second year of Jiayou (1057), because of the suburbs, Mei Yaochen was promoted to Shangshudu ** Wailang, so he was called "Meidu Official". In the fifth year of Jiayou (1060), an epidemic broke out in Bianjing, and Mei Yaochen was unfortunately infected and died in Bianjing at the age of 59.
Despite his ups and downs and hardships, Mei Yaochen enjoyed a great reputation in the poetry world, and his creative activities began in 1031 until his death, a total of 30 years, and he made achievements in poetry theory and creative practice. With infinite grief, anguish, longing, and pain, he wrote a great deal of stirring poetry. Ouyang Xiu, Wang Anshi, Liu Chang, Su Shi and others were all influenced by him, and it can be said that Mei Yaochen had a huge influence on the poetry of the Northern Song Dynasty. Mei Yaochen and Su Shunqin were equally famous, and they were called "Su Mei", and together with Ouyang Xiu, they promoted the Northern Song Dynasty as a reform movement, and called "Oumei". He advocated realism for his poems, opposed to Xikun style, and strived to be plain and subtle, and was known as the "founding patriarch" of Song poetry.
Mei Yaochen played the 26 volumes of his own "Tang Zai Ji" in the court, and corrected many omissions and errors in the old history, and Song Renzong ordered him to participate in the revision of the "New Tang Book". It's a pity that when the "New Tang Dynasty Book" was completed, Mei Yaochen died before he could play Chengrenzong.