Liu Zongyuan and Han Yu jointly advocated the ancient prose movement: opposing rigid and empty parallel prose and advocating the freedom of ancient prose in Qin and Han Dynasties. The ancient prose movement advocated by Liu Zongyuan and Han Yu is actually a literary reform movement. The pioneers of this ancient prose movement are Xiao, Li Hua, Jie Yuan, Liang Su, Liu Mian and others.

The background of the ancient prose movement

The ancient prose movement began after the Anshi Rebellion. At that time, the Tang Dynasty had turned from prosperity to decline, and eunuchs were exerting power. Under the slogan of "retro", Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan launched a literary revolution on style, style and literary language, similar to the Renaissance in Europe.

The content of the ancient prose movement is mainly to revive Confucianism, and the form is to oppose parallel prose and advocate ancient prose.

Han Yu and others raised the banner of "restoring ancient ways", advocated learning ancient prose and ancient roads, and publicized their political opinions and Confucianism. This thought has been strongly supported by Liu Zongyuan and others and widely reacted by the society, gradually forming a wave of mass struggle, overwhelming parallel prose and forming a far-reaching "movement".

Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan are the representatives of the ancient prose movement in Tang Dynasty. They advocate ancient prose in order to carry forward the ancient road and revive Confucianism. Han Yu said: "Learn the ancient road and want to talk at the same time; Those who preach their words are also those who are interested in the ancient road "("After Mourning Ouyang Sheng ").