Sui and Tang Dynasty’s Criticism of the Literature of Six Dynasties

Two different literary movements germinated in the beginning of the Sui and Tang Dynasties. One of the movements is represented by Wangtong(??????), who attempted to build up a literary theory under the flag of traditional theory of relation between literature and politics for a new era, based on the tradition of Confucianism established in the Han Dynasty. He considered that the decline of Confucianism resulted from the formalistic literary trend in the Six Dynasties. On the other hand, Weizheng(??????) stands for another literary movement. He emphasized the political role of literature. In the mean while, he affirmed the progress of literature since the Six Dynasties, and acknowledged the essential value of literature. The politically oriented literary view caused by practical needs, such as the one by Wangtong, had been changed into the realistic literary view like Weizheng???s. By those streams, literature could insure it???s space to continue to exist.