The mid-Tang period in which Liu Zongyuan (773–819) lived was a time of rapid social and literary transformation. The ideological landscape of this era was marked by contradictions and tensions, characterized by a simultaneous coexistence of elusive sensual pursuits and weighty rational reflection. These conflicting tendencies manifested as two extremes in the literary creations of the time. The waning of romantic sentiment led some writers to focus on the realities of human life, standing in opposition to the art-for-art’s-sake aesthetic. This period also saw a resurgence of the Confucian utilitarian view of literature. During this time, the traditional forms of metaphor and allegory, previously confined to lyric poetry, began to extend into more narrative-driven works.