When Wang Anshi went to the table to eat, why did he only eat the food in front of him?

Speaking of Wang Anshi, many netizens know that this person is quite interesting. Although he looks like a weak scholar, there is one thing about this person that makes people feel very interesting, that is, he is eating. When I was there, I only ate the food in front of me and not from other places. Some people said that this was because Wang Anshi was very lazy? Let’s take a look at this issue and reveal the secrets!

Wang Anshi, a famous official in the Northern Song Dynasty, was a famous writer, politician, reformer and thinker in the history of our country. He once served as prime minister and was one of the Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties. It can be said that he achieved both fame and fortune. However, Wang Anshi was quite sloppy and stubborn in life, and he made a lot of jokes.

First of all, it’s dirty. When Wang Anshi was young, he spent a lot of time reading and studying. He basically didn't take a shower or change clothes for several months, so he always looked dirty. After becoming a Jinshi official, Wang Anshi still had unkempt hair and dirty face every day, and was covered in sweat and stinking. His boss Han Qi couldn't stand it anymore and concluded that he would never become a great person. His friend Zeng Gong and others couldn't stand it anymore, so they often took Wang Anshi to take a bath and took the opportunity to change his dirty clothes, which was called "washing Jie Fu". The most egregious time was when Song Shenzong, the mighty Prime Minister of the Song Dynasty, saw lice crawling on his beard when he went to court. Wang Anshi was really dirty.

Wang Anshi eats very simply. He eats whatever is given to him and only eats the food in front of him. His habit also left a profound impact on his colleagues. One time, when everyone was having dinner together, Wang Anshi ate all the venison in front of him, so everyone thought he liked venison and rushed to send venison to Wang's house. Wang Anshi's wife felt strange, and after asking why, she said, next time you have a meal, try putting side dishes in front of him. As expected, Wang Anshi ate all the side dishes, while the venison on the other side of the table was not touched at all. Mr. Xiao, a relative of Wang Anshi's daughter-in-law's family, came to visit. Wang Anshi invited him to eat. Seeing that the food was too simple, Mr. Xiao only ate the filling in the middle of the Hu cake, leaving the crust. When Wang Anshi saw this, he ate the remaining cake crust. Mr. Xiao was ashamed.

Wang Anshi also has a problem that the world cannot understand, that is, he is too stubborn, almost to the point of being inhumane, so people at the time called him "Shen Xianggong". Wang Anshi had been an official in the local area for many years, and was finally transferred to Qunmu Judge. At that time, the director of Qunmu was the famous Bao Zheng and Bao Qingtian, and the other judge of Qunmu was Sima Guang. One time, the peonies in Qun Mu Si Yamen were in full bloom, and they were so beautiful that Bao Zheng was so happy that he spent his own money to entertain his colleagues to drink and enjoy the flowers for the first time. You know, there is a saying in history that "it's harder for an old man to smile than to reach the sky". Bao Zheng toasted his colleagues with a smile. Everyone who was toasted felt a great honor and drank it all. When Bao Zheng toasted Wang Anshi, Wang Anshi refused to drink. No matter what Bao Zheng said, it would not work, so Bao Zheng Zheng had to find a way out for himself: "Jiefu doesn't drink, how can he know the joy of wine?" Wang Anshi's disciple Lu Huiqing, although talented, was insidious and cunning, even Song Shenzong knew it. Wang Anshi stubbornly reused Lu Huiqing. Even Emperor Shenzong couldn't stand it anymore and reminded him that "Huiqing cannot be reused." However, Wang Anshi did not listen to the advice at all. Later, Lu Huiqing persecuted Wang Anshi, and Emperor Shenzong said sadly and angrily: "He was sold by Lu Huiqing, how can he see me in person?"

When Wang Anshi retired from old age and returned to his hometown, what he saw and heard along the way were the people's dissatisfaction and resentment against the reform, and he died of depression and regret. Later generations of scholars wrote in their descriptions of Wang Anshi: "Because of his stubborn temper, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas also advised him not to change, and everyone called him 'Mr. Ao'." It can be seen that Wang Anshi's stubbornness is incomprehensible to ordinary people.