Zhu commented that Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan had a saying:

..... If the sum of Han Tui and Liu Zihou is the same, their two books A and Wei Zhongli show that they are hard. However, they all just want to make a good article and make people admire it. It's a pity that it took many years and a lot of spirit to plan your own affairs. (Cang Sheyu Scholar)

This is a criticism that Han and Liu Duo made an issue of Confucianism and Taoism without seriously studying Confucianism and Taoism. This is a comment that shows the position of other Taoists. Han and Liu's understanding and interpretation of Confucianism and Taoism, as well as their achievements in the development of Confucianism, have always been controversial issues. But there is no doubt that they are keen on literature and work hard. Zhu once criticized Han Yu for "dividing literature and Taoism into two". That's true. He and Liu Zongyuan, as well as many writers of the "ancient prose movement", really regard article writing as a career that pays equal attention to Confucianism and Taoism or even more important. Let's see how they handle the relationship between "Wen" and "Tao" and how they try to "do it well".

First, their creative program is "Writing with Ming Dow". This statement was first written by Han Yu in the ninth year of Zhenyuan (793).

When a gentleman occupies his position, he must think about his official death; If you don't get it, think clearly and make it clear. I'll take Ming Dow, too.

Liu Zongyuan's statement is similar:

Sage's words, use Ming Dow ... False words to make it clear, false words to spread, and words to ears. As far as Tao is concerned, it's just an ear. ("Reporting Cui An's Scholar as a Text")

What they want to be "enlightened" is, of course, "Confucianism and Taoism." Generally speaking, the "ancient prose movement" and "Confucian retro movement" advocated by them in the Tang Dynasty are both external and internal. This is generally in line with historical reality. Liu Zongyuan and others who participated in the "Movement" loved Buddhism, and Han and Liu argued about their attitude and evaluation of Buddhism, but it did not change the overall position of the "Movement" in dealing with the relationship between "literature" and "Taoism". At that time, a group of intellectual elites, such as Han and Liu, attributed the shortcomings of the North Korean government since the Anshi Rebellion to the lack of Confucianism and Taoism, so they advocated the so-called "restoration of Confucianism" and vigorously promoted Confucianism and Taoism as the basic strategy to save the decline of state affairs. In Meng Shangshu, Han Yu lamented the serious decline of Confucianism since Chen Qin and the Han Dynasty, saying that "since the Han Dynasty, many schools of Confucianism have been patched together, riddled with holes, and lost in chaos, which is as dangerous as death, constantly delayed and slightly faded"; He also expressed his will and determination to revive Confucianism and Taoism: "Make its Taoism spread more and more widely, although there is no hate for death." Liu Zongyuan is the same. Although banished to Yongzhou, he still said as a prisoner, "I won't forget the barbarians, and I won't smell them when I was young ... I will live on the road from generation to generation, and I will die without regrets" (Preface to Zhen Fu). The "avenue" he said is also Confucianism and Taoism. Later, in order to commemorate Han Yu, Su Shi wrote the famous poem "Chaozhou Hanwen Gongci Monument". There are 14 words in the first two sentences of today's text, which is very powerful: "One person is a hundred teachers, and one word is the law of the world." It is said that he took great pains to write this opening statement, "You can't start together, and you can't start a hundred times." The former sentence here refers to Han Yu's contribution to revitalizing Confucianism, and the latter sentence says that he provided a model for future generations' composition. This is also a summary of two aspects of Han Yu's achievements. As far as the subjective understanding of Han and Liu is concerned, these two aspects are complementary.

Later generations have a view on the relationship between "Wen" and "Tao", saying that "Tao is better than words". For example, Ouyang Xiu advocated that "it is not difficult to get the Tao" ("Answer to Scholar Wu Chong"). There is also a more extreme saying that "writing is harmful to Tao." If an economist asks the philosopher Cheng Yi, "Is composition harmful to Taoism?" He replied: "Harmful. Anyone who doesn't specialize in writing can't do it. If you are interested in it, you can communicate with heaven and earth ... Today, as a writer, you are interested in chapters and sentences. What do you mean, please people, not superior? " On the other hand, Han and Liu's Wen gave consideration to both Wen and Tao, and advocated that Tao should be clarified by Wen and Tao by Wen. This formulation really means that "Wen" and "Tao" stand side by side and pay equal attention to each other, that is, Zhu criticized that "Wen and Tao are two different things" in practice. In order to achieve the purpose of "Ming Dow", he worked hard on the rules and regulations. As Han Yu said:

The older it is, the more unique its sentence reading is. You can't see the ancients, but you have to learn from the ancient road. People who speak through words are also interested in ancient roads. (After the Mourning Book)

Liu Zongyuan said:

The purpose of words is only to praise and criticize, and to promote satire. Although his writing is vulgar enough to be used, his literary talent is insufficient, so he always comes to listen and boasts about his future knowledge. A gentleman's words must not be rotten. Therefore, the author holds its roots, but there must be falsehood. Being holy is called classic; That's what the talent says. That's what it says. (Preface to Yang's Comments)

In this way, they will definitely try their best to "do it well".

Second, therefore, they must study hard, especially inherit the artistic achievements of ancient Chinese characters. This is the so-called "retro style". Han Yu said:

The less timid he is, the less good at his artistic ability, the less able to work hard and the less aware of current events. However, he is out of tune with the world and cannot establish his own ideas. So he got angry and devoted himself to literature. (Answer to Dou Xiucai)

He wrote "An Interpretation of Learning", in which he used humorous and self-deprecating brushwork to answer the sarcasm of his China students on his bumpy life and unfortunate experiences. After telling himself that "Confucianism can be said to be tiring", he went on to say "Wen":

Shen Jinyu is full of books. Yao, Si, muddy boundless; Zhou Yu, overcast, tumbling; Spring and Autumn Annals is rigorous, while Left is grandiose. "Yi" is strange and law, "poetry" is rigid and beautiful; The capture of Zhuang and Sao is recorded by Taishi; Ziyun, like each other, is a different song-Mr. Yu Wen, the cymbals are in it, and the rest are outside.

This is about studying ancient books by heart, which are basically Confucian classics. Among them, the comments on specific classic writing, such as "caution" and "exaggeration", all refer to the performance style and artistic characteristics of the works, that is, from the perspective of writing skills. This shows the importance of his study of these classics. Liu Zongyuan also attaches great importance to the importance of mastering "literature" skills as a "scholar". In his letter to his father-in-law Yang Ping, he said:

In today's world, scholars write first. An article is the end of a scholar. However, if you make a statement, it will be easily overlooked, that is, in the end, it will be seventeen or eighteen. ("With Yang Jingzhao")

He also studied ancient books extensively, and his specific attitude and practice were almost the same as Han Yu's. He wrote a paper to his disciples, listed classic famous sentences, and specifically explained what he had learned:

This book is for its quality, this poem is for its constancy, this book is for its ceremony, this book is for its judgment, and this book is for its movement, so I went the same way. Join the book of Gu Liang to strengthen its spirit, Meng Xun to follow its branch, Zhuang Lao to enrich its end, national danger to enrich its interest, leaving Sao to be quiet, and being a teacher to be pure-this is why I think it is a good way to push traffic.

What is worth noting here is that he distinguished the Confucian classics of "taking the source of Tao" from other works such as Zhuzi, Lisao, Guoyu and Historical Records. This shows that when he wrote for literature, he paid attention to learning Confucian classics, but drew artistic nourishment from various ancient classics more widely.

Third, when they are engaged in writing, they are extremely serious and strive for perfection, and strive to reach a higher level in writing skills. Han Yu once introduced his writing to his disciples:

The so-called orator is also born. What you did is very similar to what you expected. It is better to take evil from others than to suppress one's reckless ambition. Could ancient speakers be evil? You are better than others, if you take others', you will be better than others, and you can take others'; As for the ancient sayings, there is no hope of quick success and instant benefit, no temptation of snobbery, and hope for their glory by raising their roots and adding their paste; Those who are rich actually succeed, those who are full of cream are brilliant, and those who are kind are kind.

Those who are in trouble, the more they do, the less they know. Although, I have studied for more than twenty years. The books of the Three Dynasties were not read in the Han Dynasty at the beginning, and they were not saved unless they were saints. If you forget it, if you leave it behind, you will think of it and be fascinated. It is very difficult when it is taken out from the heart and recorded in the hand, but the business of making a statement is gone! It looks at people and doesn't know whether to laugh or not. If so, one year, if I don't change it, I will know that the ancient books are true and false, and there is a clear distinction between those who are correct and those who are not thoughtful. It is Xu Youde who goes to work. When it is taken out of the heart and injected into the hand, it will make a cackling sound. Its view of people is the same. When you laugh, you feel happy, when you like it, you feel sad, and when you say it's still there, it's still there. If so, it will be several years, and then it will be boundless. I'm also afraid of it, so welcome it and stay away from it. I looked at it calmly, it was all alcohol, and then I was embarrassed. Although, you can't stay. Walking depends on the way of benevolence and righteousness, and swimming depends on the source of poetry and books. There is no lost path and no source, and I will die in the end. ("Answer to Li Yishu")

Here, of course, he speaks from the standpoint of Confucianism, pointing out that the composition should be based on Confucian cultivation, but when it comes to his own writing, he emphasizes its "difficulty", which shows that he has made more efforts and made more efforts. Liu Zongyuan taught his disciples his writing experience. When it comes to how to deliberate and painstakingly write, the meaning is similar to that of Han Yu's above statement:

Therefore, every time I write an article, I dare not take it lightly, for fear that it will stay wild; Never dare to be lazy and free, for fear that it will relax; Never dare to faint, afraid of its ignorance; I have never dared to do it proudly, but I am afraid it will be arrogant. Restrain the desire for mystery, promote the desire for clarity, sparse the desire for clarity, be frugal, be eager for clarity and be solid, which is why I am a wing man. (Answer to Wei Zhongli's book On Teacher's Way)

He emphasized a correct attitude and hard work, striving to achieve the ideal expression effect of "Yongfu Road".

Fourth, they don't stick to the rules, dare to break through the tradition and innovate boldly. This is the key to their success in advocating "ancient prose" and developing literary prose. Han Yu said:

A servant has been a writer for a long time, and every time he claims to be good in his heart, he will think of evil. A small name means a small person; Big means people will be strange. People think it's better to write vulgar, better to write shameful, and better to show others. Shamed people are also called small goodness, and ashamed people will think they are good. I want to know why the world uses ancient Chinese. ("Essay with Su Feng")

It can be seen from this passage that the conservative forces in the literary world were huge at that time, and innovation required considerable confidence and courage. Liu Zongyuan's "Qiao Qiwen" metaphorically shows that his character can't be attached to customs and cleverness, and he also talks about composition:

..... dazzling for the text, obscene row, smoke yellow dialogue, mask flying away. Parallel four wives and six concubines, the heart is full of embroidery, the palace is full of vibration, and the tentacles are full of enthusiasm. Viewers dance and talk about thunder and roar, drowning the minister's heart alone, making him old and ugly. Ordinary, unexpected, can last for a long time. ("Seven Clever Articles")

This is the meanness of writing popular parallel prose, and finally, with the help of "Tiansun", he said, "You only know honesty and shame, flatter your appearance, and make lewd remarks. It's up to you. The center has been set, so you pray in vain and keep it a secret. " It means that I will never be caught by the trend and stick to the direction of correcting my style.

In this way, Han and Liu advocated ancient prose, put forward systematic theoretical propositions, had successful creative practice, and were widely publicized and attracted to later scholars. With their outstanding talent and tenacious character, they made every effort to finally achieve the achievement of comprehensively correcting the style of writing, and promoted the development of literary prose to a truly mature stage.

In the Qing Dynasty, Taoist Cheng (169 1- 1767) once criticized Han Yu for saying:

When you retreat from the Tao and pretend to be, when the ancient sages spread straight, the three generations can be four, while the six classics can be seven. But ambition is immersive, all in English. As an article, coining new words, self-regulation, is very abrupt, and the action is also at the end. In order to compete with the Eight Dynasties, even if he said all about benevolence, righteousness and morality, nothing could suit him. (Fu Jia Yu Men in Ancient Books)

This means that Han Yu relies on the ancient sages to preach Confucianism and Taoism, and his actual effort lies in "suddenly making a new statement as an article", which is not as good as the "Eight Dynasties" at all. This kind of criticism is obviously unclear. Although Han Yu and the "ancient prose writers" in Tang Dynasty advocated reviving Confucianism and Taoism, they did not neglect "writing well". They flaunt the "retro" style, but they don't want to be "antique". Instead, it calls for "retro" and combines innovation with "retro". In this way, they finally created a new type of "ancient prose" to meet the requirements of the times and developed prose as a literary creation.

Parallel and dispersed.

The development of literature is a continuous process. In the past, Han and Liu's descriptions of "classicism" benefited a lot from their predecessors' creative achievements. The "ancient prose" they wrote originally directly inherited the literary tradition of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, including the parallel prose they strongly criticized. Their success in advocating "ancient prose" and writing prose also benefited from critically and successfully inheriting the artistic achievements accumulated by the previous generation of parallel prose. As Liu Xizai (1813-1881) said:

The decline of the Han and Eight Dynasties was accompanied by its success. Only by making good use of the ancient can we become ancient and cover everything, so we can sweep everything. (Introduction to Art and Literature)

Liu Kai also pointed out that:

The decline of a husband after eight generations is not to sweep away eight generations, but to take its essence, remove its coarseness and turn its rot into wonder. In fact, eight generations of beauties are not unprepared. ("The Paper of Bao Gong and Yuan Yuntai")

For example, in the article about Si Liu published by this magazine, it is pointed out that there are four basic elements of parallel prose: duality, phonology, allusions and rhetoric. This book is an effective means of expression for the long-term development of Chinese language and an achievement in the art of writing. The bias and mistakes in parallel prose are only stylized and one-sided applications, leading to extremes and divergence. The artistic achievements of parallel prose creation for hundreds of years since Jin and Song Dynasties are commendable. The success of Han and Liu's creation of "ancient prose" also lies in actively absorbing and critically drawing lessons from these achievements.

Look at duality first. Qian Zhongshu's comments on Yueyang Tower were introduced earlier, and it was clearly pointed out that Jiang Yan's Four Seasons Fu was inherited through the parallel and dual description of the four seasons. Chinese monosyllables and Chinese square characters naturally form Chinese, which is convenient to express relative contents such as juxtaposition, positive and negative, correspondence and overlap with duality, and achieve neat, stable and harmonious effects in tone and emotion. Bao in Qing Dynasty (1775— 1955) pointed out:

When discussing body posture, odd and even numbers come first. Dignity is more accidental, and beauty is more exotic. Although the body must be strange to stimulate its qi, although the potential is strange, it will occasionally be expensive. This instrument is complex and precise. (Art Boat and Paper)

The "ancient prose writers" in the Tang Dynasty dissolved the style without abolishing the duality, and they can flexibly and naturally integrate the duality into their writing from the structure of the article to the specific writing. As far as the overall conception of the article is concerned, for example, Han Yu's Seeing the Poor describes his own "poor ghost" and describes five kinds of poverty, namely, knowledge poverty, academic poverty, literature poverty, living poverty and social poverty. Liu Zongyuan's "Begging for Cleverness" wrote "I am so clumsy" in a self-deprecating style, describing all kinds of ugliness of cleverness and deception from lines, words and articles. This is basically the same as Liu's "On Wide Spreading", which exposes that "uncles and nephews are wrong, cheated, and soaring ... make good use of everything, and make good use of it", and describes that the social communication atmosphere is corrupt, that is, make good use of the situation, pay bribes, talk about making good friends, make poor friends, and measure academic qualifications. "The feeling of martyrdom is the same, and the change is different." The traces of "simulation" in Korea and Liu Wenzhang are very obvious. As far as specific writing is concerned, many articles written by Han and Liu, such as Shuo Wen Jie Zi, Xiang Pai Ode and Yuan Yi, are basically neat parallel prose dialogues, and parallel prose is often integrated into prose, which makes the articles look both decorative and natural. This is the development of the skill of combining parallel with dispersed phase. For example, in the biography of Zhang Zhongcheng, Zhang Xun and Xu Yuanshou defended Suiyang City for a while:

On the second day of the second day, the public was punctual, knowing that the people's soldiers did not save and abandoned the city? If you can't stay, what's the use of hiding elsewhere? Hopeless and poor, let it starve. Although you want to go, you won't get there. The sage of the second public is good at speaking. Defend a city, defend the world, fight for millions of days with thousands of troops, cover up Jianghuai, curb its potential, and the world will not die. Who will do it? When really, those who abandoned the city and fled, trying to survive are countless, and those who are good at sitting in Qiang Bing and watching the fun are also surrounded. Instead of pursuing this point, I accused the two public officials of defending themselves to the death. I also saw them compare themselves to the rebels and set up obscene words to help them attack.

This kind of writing is prose, but many antitheses are used, some of which are loose antitheses. Similarly, as Liu Zongyuan's masterpiece Snake Catcher said:

Will you be born of sadness? Then our service is unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate not to reply to my fu. If you don't serve me, you will be ill for a long time. I have been sixty years old since I lived in my hometown for the third time, and my neighbor's birthday is frowning. Leave land, leave land, leave land, leave land, leave land, leave land, leave land, leave land, leave land, leave land. People who live with my ancestors have no room today; The people who live with my father are all in the room today; Those who have lived with me for twelve years have nothing to do with it today. I won't die, but I live by catching snakes. Fierce officials came to my hometown, clamoring for things, and ran north and south. Those who are stunned and frightened, although they are restless. I stood up to look at it, but my snake still exists, so I lie down, eat it and sometimes offer it. The next best thing is to eat the things in the soil, so as to do the best. Guy was guilty at the age of one, and everyone else was happy. If there is Dan in my hometown, it is true! Today, even if I die here, it is worse than the death of my neighbor. How dare I poison you?

Like Zhang Zhongcheng's biography, this is basically a strict or loose antithesis, which has a strong expressive effect in the form of neat overlap. Liu Kai of the Qing Dynasty once said:

Talk about separation in parallel, while factions contend for flow, but different paths overlap. Thousands of competing shows, unique glory; Jiuzi is an alien, born in Yilong. Therefore, if you don't disperse in parallel, the gas will be difficult to disperse; If there is no parallelism in dispersion, it will be lonely and barren. (On Parallel Prose with the Prince of Qing Dynasty)

Therefore, "ancient prose" writers learn from the dual techniques of parallel prose, and integrate parallel prose into prose, so that it has both advantages and disadvantages.

"Ancient prose" writers also pay great attention to the rhyme of parallel prose. Han Yu introduced his writing experience and clearly put forward the term "Concise words are better than sound" (Answer to Li Yishu). "Short words" refer to the rhythm of sentences, and "high notes" refer to phonology. However, his "Ancient prose" is no longer strict with the choice of words and sentences, but only requires "the introduction is the same, the poor is transformed into life, the palace and the merchants announce each other, and the stone and stone are in harmony" ("Preface to Sending Powers and Scholars"), that is, the tone conforms to the context and can be restrained. Han Yu's "ancient prose" sentences are different in length, with smooth rhythm and harmonious rhythm, forming a smooth and natural tone and emotional appeal. For example, in the masterpiece Ode to Boyi, the first paragraph is discussed in long sentences:

Scholars are maverick, enough is enough, regardless of people's right or wrong. They are all heroes, convinced and self-aware. Few people don't do it, but take their time to do it; As for a country and a state, those who do it without being confused only cover one person in the world; The world is not confused without practice, and it is only one ear for thousands of years; If you are a foreigner, the poor world will last forever and you won't care.

These are two long sentences, which are loosely arranged step by step and poured in at one breath, forming an irrefutable strong tone. Another example is "Preface to Send Li to Pangu", which describes three different life realms of literati at that time:

I know a man who is called a gentleman: Li Ze is for others, and his reputation is well known. He sat in the temple, advancing and retreating, assisting the son of heaven to give orders; When you are outside, raise the flag, bend the bow, and the warrior is in front. Followers block the way, and suppliers run across the road with their own things; If you are happy, you will be rewarded, if you are angry, you will be full, and the Tao will be ancient and modern, not annoying; The eyebrows are full of cheeks, and the voice is clear, but the posture is calm, delicious, and long-sleeved. White and green people live in seclusion, jealous and pity. The experience of a gentleman is known to the son of heaven, and those who work hard all over the world are also. I run away from it because I don't hate it. I have my own life, but I am not lucky enough. Poor and wild, climb high and look far, sit on leafy trees all day long and clean yourself with a clear spring; Collected in the mountains, it is beautiful, but caught in water, it is rarely edible. Life is always there, but it is very comfortable; Instead of having a past reputation, if it is immortal, if it is happy, if it is carefree; Clothes are not dimensional, knives and saws are not added, I am at a loss, and I am at a loss-if a gentleman does not keep pace with the times, I will do what a gentleman does. Serve at the door of the official's house and run on the road; Then the feet will stumble and the mouth will be embarrassed; I'm not ashamed of being dirty. I'll kill you as soon as I touch it. If you are lucky, you will die of old age. What are your virtues and unworthiness?

This is often described by short sentences, but also by duality, parallelism and divergence. The sense of language is relaxed and agile, and three realms of life are listed. Human feelings, poor gods are like this. Praise and criticism of fables are implicit. Regarding this article, it is said that Su Dongpo once said: "Ouyang Gongyan has no article, and Tao Yuanming's Future Time is just an article; Yu also said that there were no articles in the Tang Dynasty, but Han Tui's Preface to Send Li Pangu was one. I want to do this article all my life. Every time I write it, I laugh at myself and say, "If you don't do it, let me take a step back. "

As for the third and fourth elements of parallel prose, allusions and rhetoric, writers of "ancient prose" have made great changes: allusions are used less, but strange classics and different meanings are forbidden, and they are not too particular about flowery rhetoric. However, the writing of "ancient prose" is not frivolous, and the wording of the next word has been carefully scrutinized. This can be seen from the passage quoted above.

Jiang Xiangnan commented on Han Yu's On the Decline and Fall of the Eight Dynasties: "Shallow Confucianism shocked the decline and fall of the Eight Dynasties, but did not know how to absorb the marrow of the Six Dynasties." The fact is that it is precisely because the "ancient prose writers" in the Tang Dynasty not only actively inherited the fine tradition of heavy and simple ancient prose in the pre-Qin period, but also distinguished the gains and losses of parallel prose in the Six Dynasties, dialectically "sublated" it and absorbed its valuable artistic achievements. In this way, on the basis of comprehensively inheriting the artistic heritage left by predecessors, we will create a new type of "ancient prose" that meets the requirements of the times, and use this "ancient prose" to write beautiful literary prose.

Conclusion: the formation of the team of "writers" in the true sense

Lei (1054—114) commented on Han Yu.

Han retreated, thinking that there were more literati than knowledge. (On Han Yu)

Wang Yangming (Yangming, 1472- 1529) said:

Retreat, the male ear of literati. (On Practice)

Ming Hu Zhenheng (1569-1645) added to Wang Yangming's statement:

Retreat is also a scholar's ear. Recently, the fallen old student was forced into the tent of the Kong family because he was released again and again, and could not move a step. ("Tang Yin Guiqian")

All this means that Han Yuben is a "scholar". The "ancient prose writers" in the Tang Dynasty were not only poets, but also politically active, and some people made achievements in ideological theory and had multiple identities. As for Han and Liu, they are also politicians and thinkers. But the basic character of most of them should be regarded as "literati". Basically, they are all civilians. During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the dictatorship system of the gentry collapsed since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, and the status of the common people as "scholars" rose and became an important force in society. They entered the body by political ability and literary talent. Among them, people with outstanding abilities and talents can get high positions through the imperial examination. Of course, some people are silent and even naked for life. Originally, since the Han and Wei Dynasties, writing poems and compositions was their "aftercare", and there were no "writers" specializing in writing. By the Tang Dynasty, most of the intellectuals in Buyi, whether they were rising to the top or unlucky, had the experience of seeking officials, and many of them had held official positions inside and outside the imperial court, but they all received basic training in writing poems, and writing was their killer weapon. Their basic character should be regarded as "literati", that is, today's occupation or * * * "writer". For example, Li Bai and Du Fu have both held different official positions, and their real life career is mainly to write poems; Han and Liu are roughly the same. Liu Zongyuan was demoted to Yongzhou for ten years, and the nominal title was Sima, a "foreigner", that is, he was actually a prisoner outside the official establishment. He has no job, but he can devote himself to creation. In fact, he is a full-time "writer". It is because of such a team of "writers" that the literature of the Tang Dynasty can flourish in an all-round way.

Because of full-time and * * * "writers" groups, literary concepts and literary creation have undergone major changes. Many of these "writers" can get rid of the shackles of court officials and engage in literary creation as creative subjects; Be able to learn writing skills wholeheartedly and constantly improve the artistic level of creation; Can get rid of the limitation of "application" as a text and write works with high aesthetic value, which are mainly for people to appreciate. In short, these people can take literary creation as their main business in life and write real literary works.

In this way, Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan and other "ancient writers" can be regarded as real "writers" and "essayists".

During the Tang and Song Dynasties, there were many famous artists and excellent works, and poetry creation showed a highly prosperous situation. But writing "poetry" as "literature" continues the tradition, which is a matter for the literati class. The Song Dynasty entered the "modern times" in the history of China, a new culture of civilian society was formed, new literature, novels and operas flourished, and a group of "writers" created novels and operas. This team is mainly composed of literati and folk artists who are closer to the people. In this situation, the creation of "Wen" and "Poetry" with literati as the main body of creation is limited after all, and it is difficult to create the brilliance of Tang and Song Dynasties. As a result, it is difficult for Han, Liu and other "ancient prose" writers in Tang and Song Dynasties to surpass the peak of prose art.