Literature Northern and Southern dynasties

literature particularly vibrant during southern dynasty , tended flowery , frilly, while northern dynasty literature rougher , more straightforward. notable writers include yu xin, xing fang, wei shou, , wen zisheng of northern dynasty. in poetry, fu poetry continued dominant genre, though five-syllable form achieved great prominence during tang dynasty gradually increased in popularity. in southern dynasty, type of essay known pian wen (chinese: 駢文), used metered rhyme, flowery language, , classical allusions, became popular. writings spoke of removing oneself everyday material existence , jettisoning cares , anxiety.

poets of northern , southern dynasties focused on imitating older classical poets of ancient china, formalizing rhyme patterns , meters governed poem composition. however, scholars realized ancient songs , poems, of shijing, in many instances no longer rhymed due sound shifts on previous centuries. introduction of buddhism china, began in late han dynasty , continued through tang dynasty, introduced chinese scholars sanskrit. brahmi script, sophisticated phonological organization, arrived in china in 5th century, , studied xie lingyun, produced (since-lost) glossary of chinese transcriptions of sanskrit terms arranged according 14 sounds .

the 4 tones of middle chinese first described shen yue , zhou yong.