The term was first proposed by the Southern Dynasties literary critic Liu Xie (465?-520? or 532?) in The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons as a summary of the prevailing literary style in the Jian’an era at the end of the Han Dynasty. Through their works, the literary figures of the era gave free play to their talent in expressing their deep sorrows, frustration, and indignation while articulating their ambition, enthusiasm, pride, and tenacity. Running through their literature, Liu Xie observed, was a powerful spirit – the drive of their spiritual being that manifested itself in their literary creation as a passionate writing style. The spontaneous free overflow of the individual writer’s sentiments reflected an awareness of the impermanence of life, a heightened consciousness of the self, and a deep recognition of their agency and creativity.