prose style; non-parallel literary form
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
literary style not requiring neat parallelism of sentences and phrases; prose style (as opposed to "parallel prose")
technicalRefers specifically to the Chinese prose tradition that contrasts with the parallel prose (骈体) style popular in the Six Dynasties and Tang periods. Often associated with the "Ancient Prose Movement" (古文运动) of the Tang and Song dynasties.
Hán韩
Yù愈
hé和
Liǔ柳
Zōng宗
Yuán元
chàng倡
dǎo导
de的
gǔ古
wén文
yùn运
dòng动
，
jiù就
shì是
yào要
huī恢
fù复
xiān先
Qín秦
Liǎng两
Hàn汉
de的
sǎn散
tǐ体
chuán传
tǒng统
。
The Ancient Prose Movement advocated by Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan aimed to restore the prose tradition of the pre-Qin and Han dynasties.
Yǔ与
jiǎng讲
jiu究
duì对
zhàng仗
gōng工
zhěng整
de的
pián骈
tǐ体
bù不
tóng同
，
sǎn散
tǐ体
wén文
gèng更
zhù注
zhòng重
nèi内
róng容
de的
chōng充
shí实
hé和
wén文
qì气
de的
guàn贯
tōng通
。
Unlike parallel prose, which emphasizes neat antithesis, prose style focuses more on substantive content and the flow of literary energy.
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Liù六
cháo朝
shí时
qī期
pián骈
tǐ体
shèng盛
xíng行
，
dàn但
dào到
le了
Táng唐
dài代
，
yī一
xiē些
wén文
xué学
jiā家
kāi开
shǐ始
pī批
píng评
zhè这
zhǒng种
wén文
tǐ体
guò过
yú于
huá华
lì丽
ér而
quē缺
fá乏
nèi内
róng容
，
zhuǎn转
ér而
tí提
chàng倡
sǎn散
tǐ体
。
Parallel prose was prevalent during the Six Dynasties, but by the Tang Dynasty, some literati began criticizing this style as overly ornate and lacking substance, instead advocating for prose style.