This term stresses the need for both well-thought organization of content and its eloquent presentation in writing history. The character沈 (here pronounced chen) means “profound” or “in-depth.” The term first appeared in the preface to Selections of Refined Literature compiled by Xiao Tong (501-531), Crown Prince Zhaoming of Liang during the Southern Dynasties. It means that sub-genres in historical biographies and chronicles, such as commendations, commentaries, introductory remarks and reviews, can, through in-depth organization of content and eloquent writing, better present historical figures and events and reveal things that shaped them. Unlike literary works, historical biographies are non-fictional and make either positive or negative comments on people and events. However, commendations, commentaries, introductory remarks and reviews, as important parts of historical biographies, also have literary value, thus creating a distinctive style. Scholars of later generations used this term to refer to particular types of content and features in literary works.

As for historical biographies and chronicles, their purpose is to verify historical figures and events and make comments on them. So they differ from literary works, which prize eloquence in style. However, eloquent writing is also required for writing commendations and commentaries in historical books as well as introductory remarks and reviews. In a nutshell, history should be recorded in an in-depth way and presented in eloquent writing. I therefore place them together with literary writing in this book. Xiao Tong: A Preface to Selections of Refined Literature