Abstract: The style discrimination in the Northern and Southern Dynasties has been brought up again in Tuian Esaays written by Liang Zhangju. He wanted to clarify the connotation of “Wen” in order to improve the status of parallel prose, and refute the view that the ancient prose writers buried themselves in classic works and made annotation of history, kept away from the essence of essays and belittled the parallel prose. Compared with Ruan Yuan Respectful Style of parallel prose, he denied that it was overcorrect that the ancient prose was “Wen”. Liang Zhangju was more reasonable and compromise. He advocated that ancient prose and parallel prose were equally important. There was no need to respect one of them as orthodoxy exclusively. It was inevitable for parallel prose and prose to combine together though they were homogenous but had divergent evolution. Liang Zhangju objected that the two theories “writing ancient prose with the method of eight-legged essays” and “writing eight-legged essays with the method of ancient prose” interfered each other, but emphasized the mutual learning of ancient prose and eight-legged essays. It must have degrees and avoid utilitarian. The words you said from your heart should be substantial in content. Only in this way can both of them make achievements. Compared with Ruan Yuan who regarded eight-legged essays as the same stream of parallel prose and both as orthodox of orthodox writing, Liang Zhangju’s comments were objective and fair. Liang Zhangju believed Literary Selections selected both parallel style and prose style, it was not the anthology of parallel prose. He also refuted the ancient prose writers who despised Literary Selections. Liang Zhangju’s theory of prose are a reconciliation of contradictions between the parallel prose and ancient prose in the Mid-Qing Dynasty, which have made a certain contribution to the creation and good theoretical development of ancient essay, parallel prose and eight-legged essay.

Key words: Liang Zhangju, Tuian Essays, style discrimination, parallel prose, ancient prose