Conversation so far:
Where was Shen Kuo born?
Shen Kuo was born in Qiantang (modern-day Hangzhou)
On what date was Shen Kuo born?
1031
Did Shen Kuo have siblings?
Pi (披)
Where did Shen Kuo go to school?
Shen Kuo received his initial childhood education from his mother, which was a common practice in China during this period.
Was Shen Kuo's family wealthy for the time of the Song dynasty?
Shen Kuo's father Shen Zhou was a lower-class gentry figure serving in official posts on the provincial level; his mother was from a family of equal status in Suzhou.
What did Shen Kuo's mother do?
Shen Kuo's mother was very educated herself, teaching Kuo and his brother Pi the military doctrines of her own elder brother Xu Tang.

Question: Is there anything else important about his youth?
Self-contained rewrite: Is there anything else important about Shen Kuo's youth besides his family and education?