Plump beauty is a style prevalent in ancient Chinese literature and art. "Plump" here suggests abundance, richness and fullness. In calligraphic aesthetics, it refers to a state of chubbiness, maturity and lushness. When used in poetic creation, "plump" is associated with a poem's richness in nuance and enduring appeal. However, plump beauty would not work alone; it has to be combined with or complemented by leanness. Only thus can the dual character of ancient Chinese poetry and artistic aesthetics be fully expressed. The Northern Song writer Su Shi (1037-1101) highly lauded the artistic features of Tao Yuanming's (365 or 372 or 376-427) poetry by saying that "it is magnificently beautiful and richly varied under the surface of simplicity."

I am not particularly fond of any poet except Tao Yuanming. He did not write that many poems, but those he composed are magnificently beautiful. Though seemingly simple, they are richly varied under the surface of insipidity. None of the other poets, including Cao Cao, Liu Zhen, Bao Zhao, Xie Lingyun, Li Bai, and Du Fu, are his equals.

(Su Zhe: Preface to Collection of Su Shi’s Poems Following the Rhymes of Tao Yuanming)