Both the poetry of Tang and Sung Dynasties are considered twoequally outstanding milestones in the development of Chineseliterature. Sung poetry has, on the one hand, inherited thetraditional forms and features of Tang poetry while, on the otherhand, placed great emphasis on synthesizing scholastic elegance withverncular directness. Thus, it becomes a new style of poeticexpression. The uniqueness of Sung poetry lies in "metamorphosis,"assimilating quintessence from Tang poetry and fusing it withnewborn features. Anderstreben is what the Sung poets emphaticallyadvocated, and "using the essence of drama in poetry" is asuccessful accomplishment in metamorphosizing from its parentliteral style, the Tang poetry. For instance, the poems written byHuang Ting-chien and Su Shih are greatly influenced by "populardrama." The influence is evident in the following aspects. (1) While "popular drama" emphasizes meticulous plotting,Huang also stressed methodical plotting and prearranged layout. (2) The works of "popular drama" end, as a tradition, with an"wrap-up burlesque" which is supposed to be humorously relevantto the theme and generating a lasting impression on the audience.Both Su and Huang adopted similar devices, to illustrate reality inironical humor. As a result, certain poems are "serious jests andepigrammatic paradoxes." (3) The homorous "wrap-up" in popular drama is meant toadmonish politcal malpractice in an indirect manner. Therefore, itemploys insinuating jokes to show events which are mixtures oftruth and falsehood. Similarly, Su and Huang used vernacularwording to express reality and imagination. As actors who aresupposed to demonetrate the spirit and feelings of their roles insteadof imitating, Su and Huang manifested their own character andspirit in poetry. Inspiration and influence of popular drama, Zen BuddUfcm,painting, and calligraphy on Sung poets has enabled creation of asense of beauty in Sung poetry which is new and quite different fromthat of Tang. Therefore, it can be considered having its own place inthe world of Chinese literature, a place that matches equally withthat of Tang poetry.