Yuan Zhen and Bai Juyi were poets in the middle Tang Dynasty. Both of them were advocates of the New Yuefu Movement, with the same literary views and similar works styles, which had a great influence on the poetry circles in the middle Tang Dynasty. However, Yuan is slightly inferior to Bai in terms of concentrated theme, profound thought and vivid image. The evaluation of Bai Yuan has always been positive and negative. Yang started with Zhang Wei, while others started with Du Mu.
"The Biography of Bai Juyi in the New Tang Dynasty" contains: feigning Yi ",which was awarded by Yuan Zhen at the beginning, so it was named Bai Yuan. Bai Juyi also said in "Interpretation of Bai Liu Chorus Collection": "Jiangnan literati, language talents, cloudy Bai Yuan." Bai Yuan also said that it was already in the world at that time, and Du Mu officially used it in his articles, and later generations followed suit. Yan Yu's poetic style of Cang Hua in Song Dynasty called it "Bai Yuan Feng". Yuan Zhen and Bai Juyi were both advocates of the New Yuefu Movement. Their literary views are the same, and their works are similar in style. They emphasized the satirical function of poetry and created a large number of works reflecting reality. They are all good at new Yuefu, seven-character poems and long sentences, and pay attention to the simplicity and popularization of poetic language. Bai Yuan had a great influence on the poetry circles in the middle Tang Dynasty. The commentary of Yuan Bai Zhen Ju Yi Zhuan pointed out: "If the quality is adjusted, praise it in ancient and modern times, and all the virtuous and unscrupulous enjoy their writings, which is not as good as its prosperity." However, Yuan Zhen's poems are slightly inferior to Bai Juyi in terms of concentrated theme, profound thought and vivid image. Ye Xie said, "Yuan Zhen's meaning is better than white, so it is better to be white." Zhao Yi thinks: "Bai Zicheng is a great man, but Yuan is a little less." ("Ou Bei Shi Hua"). `