Fuzhou, Jiangxi
Wang Anshi was born on 8 December, 1021, to a family of jinshi degree holders in Linchuan (Fuzhou, Jiangxi province). He placed fourth in the palace exam and obtained a jinshi degree in 1042. He began his career in the Song bureaucracy as a secretary ("qianshu") in the office of the assistant military commissioner ("jiedu panguan tinggonshi") of Huainan (Yangzhou, Jiangsu province). He was then promoted to district magistrate ("zhixian") of Yinxian (Ningbo, Zhejiang province), where he reorganized hydrological projects for irrigation and gave credits to the peasant. Later he was promoted to controller general ("tongpan") of Shezhou (Qianshan, Anhui province). Afterwards, he was sent to Kaifeng as assistant in the herd office ("qunmusi panguan") and then prefect ("zhizhou") of Changzhou, commissioner for judificial affairs ("tidian xingyu gongshi") in Jiangnan East, assistant in the Financial Commission ("sansi duzhi panguan"), and finally editor of imperial edicts ("zhi zhigao").