On Style

The evaluation of literary style in China has been influenced by the evaluation of personality. Literary works embody the author's personal temperament and the connection between society and the style of the work, also bear the marks of the era and region. Regional styles encompass the differences in natural and cultural environments. The stark contrasts in natural conditions and folk entertainment preferences between the south and the north directly affect the literary differences between the two regions. The south venerates the abstract, employing more metaphor and symbolism; the north values the concrete, favoring direct expression. The south is rich in ideals and values technique, while the north venerates robust simplicity, with both complementing each other. Changes in social customs often affect various fields of social life and artistic preferences, imbuing works with the spirit of the times. The Wei and Jin Dynasties admired elegance and briskness, and this tendency was reflected in literature, calligraphy, and other art forms, as well as in the evaluation of the human body. The Tang Dynasty pursued grace and luxury, which was also reflected in many areas, embodying this ideal. Individual writers, influenced by the spirit of their times, reflect this spirit in the style of their works. Literary style includes the features of content expression and language. The classification of style is influenced by philosophical thought, emphasizing the symmetry and dialectical relationship of styles, as well as the relationship between style types and the personal temperament of the writer. The division of style types has gone through a process from simple to complex and then from complex back to simple. Refining the analysis of style types facilitates the identification of subtle differences between styles, making the study of style types more detailed and in-depth.