Ten Thousand Word Memorial

…Song emperor Rensong his “Ten Thousand Word Memorial,” which contained rudiments of his later policies and political theories; no action was taken on his proposals, which were aimed at the bureaucracy—Wang asserted that more capable officials with skills suited for their duties should be trained and recruited. Wang entered…

Wang’s famous “Ten Thousand Word Memorial” outlined the philosophy of the reforms. Contrary to conventional Confucian views, it upheld assertive governmental roles, but its ideal remained basically Confucian: economic prosperity would provide the social environment essential to moral well-being.