The Book of Songs is the first collection of poems in China, including 305 poems from the early years of the Western Zhou Dynasty to the middle of the Spring and Autumn Period, which are divided into three parts: style, elegance and ode. The realistic spirit of The Book of Songs, especially the folk song "Hungry people sing about their food, and laborers sing about their affairs", has the greatest influence on later literature. It urges poets and writers to care about the fate of the country and the suffering of the people, and not to regard literature as something to linger and entertain. Folk songs of past dynasties are its direct biography, and this spirit has been deeply reflected from Han and Wei Yuefu to modern folk songs. Progressive literati in past dynasties advocated "Bi Xing" and "Elegant Style" in their creation, which is essentially the realistic spirit of The Book of Songs.
The Book of Songs is the glorious starting point of China literature, and its appearance and ideological and artistic achievements are the symbols of the development of China literature, which occupies a very high position in the cultural history of China and even the world.
2. Understanding of Fu, Bi and Xing.
Fu Bi's prosperity is the expression of poetry. Zhu Chuanshi, Fu, Qi, also outspoken, compared to: compared to this matter, and Xing: say it first to make the words sing.
Zhong Rong's Preface to Poetry says: Therefore, poetry has three meanings: one is prosperity, the other is comparison, and the third is fu. The text is full of meaning, but also prosperous; Because things are metaphorical, they are better than others; Straight book, fable writing, fu also.