This concept refers to the four tones (the level tone, falling-rising tone, falling tone and checked tone) and the eight rhythmical errors. The conscious use of these tones and the avoidance of these errors were metrical norms for poetry creation proposed by the literati of the Qi and Liang reigns of the Southern Dynasties, such as Shen Yue ( 441-51…

This term refers to writings of argument and persuasion in ancient times. An essay of argument and persuasion was written to explore a theoretical issue in an in-depth way (lun) and make an argument about it to persuade people (shuo). According to Liu Xie (465?-520) of the Southern Dynasties, in writing an essay of argument and persuasion, one sho…

A person who repeatedly acts immorally will only end up in total failure. Buyi (不 义) is an act which violates the principles of yi (义 righteousness). Righteousness is the moral code broadly accepted by a society; it is synonymous with yi (宜 propriety), meaning the observance of what is fit and proper. The Chinese have championed righteousness s…

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