Abstract: The remarks on YAN Shu and his ci poems in the past are highly prejudiced. Starting from YAN Shu’s official experience, this paper makes some clarifications on his political character and the role he played in Qingli Reform and Education Promotion Movement. He was not “noble” or “successful in career” all his life, but was actually “repeatedly struck down” due to his “upright and outspoken character”. During his fifty years in political activities, he spent about sixteen years either in relegation or exile. During Qingli Reform, he promoted the reform by arranging personnel in politics, provided strong support for the reformists such as FAN Zhong-yan and FU Bi, and actively advocated education. Meanwhile, he was one of the pioneers in the Restoring-to-the-Ancient Movement led by OUYANG Xiu and in the Poetry and Essay Innovation Movement led by HAN Yu and LIU Zong-yuan. His extraordinary achievements in poetry and essays played a positive role in the literary circle at that time. It is not appropriate for the later academia to evaluate his achievements only according to his ci poems. It is also necessary to re-recognize his ci poems from many aspects.