The Wutai Poetry Case

the Wutai petry case is A “Literary Inquisition” That Changed Su Shi’s Destiny

Keywords: The Ins and Outs of the Wutai Poetry Case, Reasons for Su Shi’s Arrest, Literary Inquisition in the Song Dynasty, Banishment of Su Shi

I. Event Overview: China’s Version of the “Prism Gate” Incident

1. Modern Perspective Analogy Table

Dimension	Wutai Poetry Case (1079)	Modern Equivalent Event
Trigger Mechanism	Poetry Allegedly Containing Political Metaphors	Social Media Speech Monitoring
Judicial Institution	Imperial Censorate (Discipline Inspection Department of the Northern Song Dynasty)	Special Prosecutor’s Office
Key Evidence	Huzhou Thank-You Memorial and 120 Other Poems	Leakage of Encrypted Emails
Outcome and Impact	Su Shi Banished to Huangzhou, Marking the Start of His Creative Peak	Snowden Incident Rewriting Cybersecurity History

II. The Onset of the Storm: 43 Days from Local Official to Prisoner

1. Crisis Timeline

2. Analysis of Fatal Verses

Original Verses	Accusations	Actual Context
“Roots Reach Nine Springs Without Bend”	Insinuating the Emperor’s Rule Lacked Integrity	Describing the Natural Characteristics of a Juniper Tree
“If the Eastern Sea Knew the Emperor’s Will”	Satirizing New Policies as Exploitative	Expressing Concern for People’s Livelihood in a Rain Prayer Poem
“Winning Praise from Children for Good Speech”	Slandering the Effectiveness of Imperial Examination Reforms	Recording Achievements in Rural Literacy Campaigns

III. Imprisonment: 142 Days in the Imperial Censorate

1. Revelation of Interrogation Methods

• Psychological Warfare: 22 Consecutive Days of Sustained Interrogation
• Evidence Chain:
  • Cross-Comparison of Correspondence
  • Interpretation of Homophonic and Double-Meaning Verses (e.g., “Hibernating Dragon” Implicitly Referring to the Emperor)
• Imprisonment Conditions:
  • Cell Size: 1.5m × 2m (Modern Forensic Reconstruction Data)
  • Diet Record: “Four Liangs of Soup Noodles” Daily (Approx. 200g of Pasta)

2. Key Figures in the Turning Point of Life and Death

Role	Standpoint	Key Actions	Modern Analogy
Emperor Shenzong of Song	Final Decision-Maker	Approved “Specially Demoted to Supervising Censorate Water Ministry Assistant”	Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Wang Anshi	Political Foe turned Rescuer	Wrote “How Can a Sage Ruling Execute a Talented Scholar?”	Public Support from Political Opponent
Su Zhe	Relative and Defender	Offered to Surrender All Official Positions to Redeem His Brother	Top-Notch Legal Team

IV. Historical Resonance: A Major Turning Point in Literary History

1. Comparison of Creations Before and After Banishment

Period	Annual Output	Masterpieces	Stylistic Transformation
Pre-Banishment (1069-1078)	15 Poems/Year	Jiangchengzi·Hunting in Mizhou	Political Satire
Post-Banishment (1080-1101)	42 Poems/Year	Ode to the Red Cliff, Steady Wind	Philosophical Reflections on Life

2. Modern Value Re-evaluation

• Study of Judicial Systems: Insights from the Song Dynasty “Imperial Prison” Procedures for Contemporary Special Investigations
• Boundaries of Freedom of Speech: Jurisprudential Debates on Whether Poetic Metaphors Constitute Crimes
• Post-Traumatic Growth: Psychological Mechanisms from PTSD to Self-Transcendence

V. Global Mirror: Cross-Time Dialogue on Literary Inquisitions

1. International Case Comparison Table

China	West	Japan
Wutai Poetry Case (1079)	Galileo Trial (1633)	Hōgen Rebellion (1156)
Su Shi’s Banishment to Huangzhou	Galileo’s House Arrest	Emperor T 崇德’s Exile
Ode to the Red Cliff	Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems	Hōjōki (Record of a Ten-Foot Square Hut)