Who was the literary leader of the Northern Song Dynasty?

Ouyang Xiu was a literary leader in the Northern Song Dynasty.

Ouyang Xiu was the earliest literary leader who created a generation of literary style in the literary history of Song Dynasty. He, Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan, Su Shi, Su Xun, Su Zhe, Wang Anshi and Ceng Gong are also called "eight masters of Tang and Song Dynasties", and Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan and Su Shi are also called "four masters of literature through the ages".

He led the poetry innovation movement in the Northern Song Dynasty, and inherited and developed Han Yu's ancient prose theory. His high achievements in prose creation and his correct theory of ancient prose complement each other, thus creating a generation of writing style. Ouyang Xiu not only changed the style of writing, but also innovated the style of poetry. He has also made great achievements in historiography. He once majored in the Book of the New Tang Dynasty and wrote the History of the New Five Dynasties alone. There is a collection of Ouyang Wenzhong's works.

Ouyang Xiu's life was ups and downs, he was demoted three times, and his career was not smooth. He has a deep understanding of the fate of life and the danger of officialdom, so he can express the author's unique life experience and mentality.

Character evaluation:

Ouyang Xiu struggled to express himself under the heavy bondage of traditional culture. He despises fame and fortune, and is rigid without desire. His purpose is also to maintain social stability, but he is not "conservative" but "innovative".

Academically resisted and reversed the rigid fashion and outdated values at that time. At that time, in the humanistic environment where everyone was protecting himself, Ouyang Xiu was in a high position, still sticking to the big festival, maintaining personal dignity, embodying his own life value, resisting the influence of customs and vulgar and boring living conditions, and consciously assuming social responsibilities.

From him, we can learn the factors of taking responsibility bravely and cultivate antibodies to vulgarity and boredom. This is also the significance of commemorating Ouyang Xiu today.