Ouyang Xiu, a famous litterateur and politician of the Northern Song Dynasty, was hailed as one of the "Eight Great Prose Writers of the Tang and Song Dynasties". However, this talented figure failed twice in the imperial civil service examinations. What happened? This article will take you on a journey to understand Ouyang Xiu's path in the imperial civil service examinations and explore the reasons for his two failures.

I. Ouyang Xiu's Background in the Imperial Civil Service Examinations

Ouyang Xiu was born into a literary family that valued education from generation to generation. His father, Ouyang Xiu, was a renowned litterateur at that time and had high expectations for his son from a young age. However, Ouyang Xiu's road to the imperial civil service examinations was not smooth. When he first participated in the examinations, he was too young and inexperienced to pass.

II. Reason for the First Failure: Youthful Arrogance and Inexperience

When Ouyang Xiu first participated in the imperial civil service examinations, he was only eighteen years old. Although talented, he was still young and lacked social experience and life wisdom. In the imperial civil service examinations at that time, candidates needed to possess extensive knowledge reserves and solid literary skills, as well as a certain degree of adaptability and psychological qualities. Young Ouyang Xiu was apparently lacking in these areas, resulting in his failure in the first examination.

III. Reason for the Second Failure: Political Turmoil

When Ouyang Xiu participated in the imperial civil service examinations for the second time, he had already passed the age of thirty. Before this examination, a major political turmoil occurred in the political arena of the Northern Song Dynasty - the Wang Anshi Reforms. This reform caused huge controversy within and outside the court, and many literary figures expressed their support or opposition. As a far-sighted politician, Ouyang Xiu took a cautious attitude towards the Wang Anshi Reforms, believing that the reforms were too radical and might bring unstable factors to the country. However, this view was contrary to the prevailing trend at that time, leading to his failure in the second imperial civil service examination.

IV. Conclusion: A Talented Loser in the Imperial Civil Service Examinations

Although Ouyang Xiu failed twice in the imperial civil service examinations, this did not affect his later achievements. With his talent and perseverance, he ultimately became a renowned litterateur and politician of the Northern Song Dynasty. His story tells us that a person's success does not depend solely on his talent, but also requires sufficient social experience and psychological qualities. Ouyang Xiu's failure in the imperial civil service examinations was precisely the precious wealth he accumulated during his growth process.

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