Liu Song Dynasty - Literature and Culture

Literature and Culture

Despite, and certainly to some extent because of, this bloodbath, the Liu Song produced much great poetry (shi 詩) and other poetic genres, notably the rhapsody, fu 賦. The imperial house sponsored many literary works, and many wrote themselves. The court of Emperor Wen was especially active in literary circles, with Liu supporting the compilation of a large collection of short prose anecdotes, A New Account of Tales of the World (Shishuo xinyu). The "Three Giants of Yuanjia," Bao Zhao 鮑照 (d.466), Xie Lingyun 謝霊運 (385–433), and Yan Yanzhi 顏延之 (384–456) are perhaps the most famous poets of the Song, each of them being credited as the originators of the three major literary trends to follow.

Scientists and astronomers were also active during periods of relative peace. Buddhism also began to be better understood and more widely practised at this time, and some officials such as Xie Lingyun, were Buddhists.

Liu Song sculptors must have created a number of spirit way ensembles, generally characteristic of the Six Dynasties era, for the tombs of the dynasty's emperors and other dignitaries. However, according to a survey of the extant Six Dynasties' sculpture in the Nanjing and Danyang areas, only one of the extant Six Dynasties' tomb sculptural groups has been securely identified as belonging to the Liu Song: the Chuning Tomb of the first emperor of the dynasty. Two qilin statues of this tomb survive in the appropriately named Qilin Town in Nanjing's suburban Jiangning District.