Literature in the Middle Years of the Tang Dynasty

The middle years of the Tang Dynasty spanned from the reign of Emperor Daizong under the title of Dali to the end of the reign of Emperor Xianzong under the title of Yuanhe (766 A.D.–820 A.D.). This period was divided into two stages. The first stage was forty years from the outbreak of the An Shi Rebellion to the early years of the reign of Emperor Dezong under the title of Zhengyuan, which marked a transition from the Great Reign of Kaiyuan to the Yuanhe Resurgence. During this period, most of the scholars experienced wars and lost the vigorous and optimistic spirit found in the heyday of the Tang Dynasty. A depressing and sorrowful mood swept the poems composed during this period, accompanied by a quiet and sentimental poetic style.