ABSTRACT
Poetic doctrine was the principal means of teaching the Six Arts - the Rites, Music, Archery, Charioteering, Writing and Mathematics. The classics dealing separately with these subjects were regarded by the people of the Han Dynasty as the Confucian scriptures. Kong Yingda, in his Righteousness, an interpretation of the Different Teaching of the Different Kings, says, Mild means a kindly face, and gentle means a nature of equanimity. These four words mild and gentle, sincere and good have had a profound influence on Chinese literature. Nevertheless, the fact that the mild and gentle, sincere and good poetic doctrine may allow some presupposition of subtle advice or complaint to a sovereign throws a lifeline for the continuance of this type of Chinese literature. When a writer used his brush to try to mend deficiencies in government and the life around him, he had to stick to the road of moderation, which was a difficult thing to do.
