"Nineteen Ancient Poems" is a collection of five-character poems by ancient Chinese literati. Xiao Tong of the Southern Dynasty selected nineteen ancient poems from unknown ancient poems and compiled them into "Selected Works". These nineteen poems are customarily titled with the first sentence, in order: "Walking again and again", "Green grass by the river", "Cypresses on the green mausoleum", "Today's banquet", "There is a tall building in the northwest", "Fording the river to pick hibiscus", "The bright moon" "Bright Night Light" "Bamboo Growing Slowly" "There is a Strange Tree in the Courtyard" "Altair Far Away" "Back in the Car and Driving to Say My Word" "The East City is High and Long" "Driving to the East Gate" "The Passing Day Is Spared" "Birth Year "Not a hundred", "The cold clouds are blowing", "The cold weather is coming in Mengdong", "Guests are coming from afar" and "How bright is the bright moon".
"Nineteen Ancient Poems" is a significant symbol of the literatiization of Yuefu's ancient poetry. It profoundly reproduces the disillusionment and sinking pursued by the literati during the period of great social thought changes in the late Han Dynasty, and the awakening and pain of the soul. It expresses The most basic and common emotions and thoughts in life. The language of the whole poem is simple and natural, the descriptions are vivid and true, and it has a natural and integrated artistic style. It expresses the philosophical artistic conception of Taoism and Confucianism everywhere. It was called "the crown of five words" by Liu Xie ("Wen Xin Diao Long").
The literati of the late Han Dynasty paid attention to the value of individual survival, which enabled them to establish a more extensive and profound emotional connection with the social and natural environment in which they lived. Things that used to be associated with external achievements, such as the ancestral temple sacrifices of emperors and princes, civil and martial arts, hunting and recreation, and even the palaces of the capital, etc., once dominated the subject area of ??literature, giving way to the themes closely related to the poet's real life and spiritual life. Entrance and exit, friendship and love, even streets and fields, phenology and solar terms, the subject matter, style, and techniques of literature have undergone tremendous changes.
"Nineteen Ancient Poems" plays an important role in the development of five-character poetry, and is also of great significance in the history of Chinese poetry. Its subject matter, content and expression techniques are imitated by later generations and have almost formed a model. Its artistic style also influenced the creation and criticism of later generations of poetry.