A literary work should be beautiful in wording and solid in content. Xian (衔) means “hold in one’s mouth,” and pei (佩), “put on.” Hua (华) originally meant a “flower” and figuratively stood for “elegant language” or “formal beauty.” Shi (实) originally meant “fruit” and figuratively signified “fullness of content.” A concept in ancient literary crticism, it has been widely accepted over the centuries that an ideal work of art gives equal weight to content and form. This is an essential principle governing the writing of prose and poetry since ancient times. It originates from the example of the sages' works. Some works prioritize formal beauty and others focus on fullness of content. Likewise, different writers have different aesthetic tastes. But overall, a balance should be struck between these two merits. Liu Xie (465?-520? or 532?) of the Southern Dynasties established this principle on the basis of the works of the sages. While opposing formalism, he nevertheless recognized the value of formal beauty and technique.