I. Summary
II. The central question
Q: Why Lin Yutang use three chapters to write about Wang Anshih and his reform?
A: If we want to know someone, we should ask his relatives and friends. However, if we want to know someone more deeply and objectively, we should go and ask his enemies. Wang Anshih was Su Tungpo's?political opponent. Su Tungpo against his reform, so from this point we can know about Su Tungpo's political views. It is obvious that Wang Anshih carried out the reform had close connection with his personal characters. On the contrary, Su Tungpo's personality is the important reason for him to came up with different opinion. We could say Lin Yutang wrote lots about Wang Anshih just wanted us know Su Tungpo more comprehensive.
III. Thoughts
第七章到第十章的內容里，有三章的內容是關于王安石的。林語堂用了不少筆墨描寫了王安石的變法經過與內容，以及王安石孤僻不合群的性格，作為蘇東坡的傳記而言，似乎有些偏離主題。但實際上，想要更深入地了解蘇東坡，王安石這個人是不可不提的。且不說通過蘇東坡對王安石變法的反對能夠更進一步了解其政治主張，蘇東坡在出仕以來，經歷的第一次貶官即與王安石相關，而這影響了蘇東坡以后的人生。在性格上，王安石偏執倔強，而蘇軾曠達灑脫，如同截然不同的兩面，這樣強烈的對比更足以襯托蘇軾人格魅力。不過，蘇軾與王安石雖為政敵，但并非是全然的對立，王安石的確敢于變法，銳意革新，蘇軾也并非是頑固保守的守舊派，二人的分歧在于治國主張，而出發點皆是承擔身為士大夫的報國之責，因此二人雖個性迥異、政見不合，但都是具有傳統儒家價值觀的文人士大夫。
