劉勰的文學批評論有四篇，《文心雕龍．序志篇》所謂： 「崇替於〈時序〉，褒貶於〈才略〉，怊悵於〈知音〉，耿介於〈程器〉」者是也。」 〈時序篇〉是從時代潮流的角度，來評論文學的盛衰、作品的優劣，啟示我們在進行批評時，要注意的外緣關係，以及這些外緣關係對於作品的重大影響。 文學是反映時代的產物，而一時代有一時代的氣運升降，文學自亦不能不隨之而變，所以，〈時序篇〉一開始就以「時運交移」「質文代變」為全篇的總冒；以這兩方面的關係為焦點，來闡明主題。其一是時代的推進，政治的嬗變，勢必影響作家的感情與文學的盛衰；其 二是文學的發展，與前代作家的作品有不可分割的關係。 對於作品產生的時代背景，和其受政治影響的成分，劉勰以為是裁判作品高下的因素之一，其重要性絕對不亞於對作品本身的理解。劉勰肯定了君主在文學發展上所起的作用；〈時序篇〉篇末贊詞，特別強調： 「樞中所動，環流無倦。質文沿時，崇替在選。」 意謂文學的流變是隨著朝廷的動向週而復始地運轉；政治的治亂與時代的興衰直接影響到文學的變遷，以及文風的華麗或質樸。〈時序篇〉論述歷代文學演變的大概情況，相當於一部十代文學史綱要。它最突出的貢獻，是十分準確地概括出各個歷史時期的文學創作特色。遺憾的是劉勰對宋齊兩代的文學狀況，輕描淡寫地帶過，尤其是南齊，更僅敘述一朝四帝的史實，對當代作品的優劣，避而不談，空泛大加讚譽後，便以「颺言讚時，請寄明哲」來收束全文。雖然這兩代的文學狀況劉勰並未明言，但從字裡行間，我們不難發現他所強調的重點，以及他所表述的文學特色；而劉勰在《文心雕龍》其他篇章裡，對近代文學的批判，也讓我們對宋齊文風有更進一步的了解。本篇論文即以此為論據，剖析宋齊兩代政治力量對文學的影響，以及兩代之間「質」與「文」如何繼承與革新等問題。 在〈時序篇〉裡，劉勰對宋齊文風雖未正面指陳其長短得失，但從「文思光被」，「才英秀發」，「鴻風懿采」等描述詞彙，我們可以領略到他對南朝文學唯美風尚的清楚認知及深刻感受。的確，我國文學，無論詩歌或辭賦，發展至劉宋時代，都呈現著「聲色大開」的新風貌，而南齊在劉勰看來，無疑是「文變」達到最高峰的一個時代，因為它是〈時序篇〉所論及的最後一個朝代，文學的極盛之變，就是在帝王「聖武膺籙」、「睿文纂業」、「貳離含章」、「文明自天」的影響下實現的：「跨周轢漢，唐虞之文，其鼎盛乎」！而「文思光被」，「才英秀發」，「鴻風懿采」，正標誌著唯美的時代文學風貌。本文所要探討的就是在「文勝於質」的唯美時代風尚下，宋齊兩代「質」「文」如何代變的問題，以及劉勰如何高舉「宗經」「徵聖」的大纛，痛批晉末宋來形式主義「離本彌甚，將遂訛濫」（〈序志篇語〉）的苦心。

　　　　　Perennial Literary Changes Revolving Dynasty Migrations – An Argumentation of the Literature metamorphosis in the Southern Soong and Chi Dynasties. Four essays in Liu Shay's critics of literature:〈Entertaining Summation of Writings〉: [〈Background and Time Period〉: An assessment of the decline and prosperity of literatures based on different backgrounds and timeframes;〈Talent〉: Praise or Condemnation of the works based on the talents of the authors; 〈Appreciation of Intimates〉: Lamentation of the Scarcity of Qualified Readers; 〈Exposition of Learning Ethics〉: Revelation of the Importance of Ethics Discipline of Writers.] 〈Background and Time Period〉is an assessment on the decline and rise of literatures, as well as on the quality of the works, viewed from the perspective of time, by way to enlighten critics that while one comments, one must be attentive of external elements and factors, as well as be vigilant to the important influences these external ties have on the writings of different periods. Literature is by-product reflective of the respective time periods, a creation that changes with the gyration of its birth period. Hence the 〈Background and Time Period〉 started out with [The migration of time, interwines and propels; each period had its own literary mainstream, in which the style of writings, however understand or exuberant, varied with the disparate eras, depicting transformations and metamorphosis] as the summation of this essay. This essay used the above two relationships as its key focus to highlight its main topic. One of the relationships was the indisputable influence advancing time and political fluctuation had on the emotions of the writers, not to mention the prosperity or decline of literature during that period. The other relationship was the indispensable tie existed between the literary developments of one timeframe with the writings of previous generations. Liu Shay believed that one of the evaluating factors on the quality of the writings rested with the background and timeframe for which the work was produced in addition to the degree of political influence this particular work was affected. The importance of this factor was no less than the comprehension of the writing itself. Liu Shay validated the effect monarchs and emperors have on literary developments. The favorable remarks at the end of 〈Background the Time Period〉stressed especially: [The flow of literature rushed on and renewed itself with the migration of the dynasties; the opulent or refined nature of the wordings, changes with the passing of dynasties, in which the prosperity or decline of literature may so be determined]. 〈Background and Time Period〉 was one volume of writings equivalent to a historical epic spanning ten generations in its approximation of literary changes in different dynasties,. The most significant contribution of 〈Background and Time Period〉 was its accurate rendition of the features and attributes of the literary works in each historical timeframe. Regrettably however, Liu Shay only skimmed through briefly on the literary situations in Soong and Chi Dynasties; particularly his coverage of South Chi Dynasty, only contained a historical fact of four emperors in one dynasty, without touching on the quality of the literatures of that period. After ostensible yet insubstantial compliments, he concluded his essay 1 with a glossy [instead of asking me to sing the praise of this never-before-seen era, please allow to me to cast my hope on the wisdom of future emperors!]. Even though Liu Shay did not specify the literary conditions of these two dynasties, but by reading between lines, it was not difficult for one to decipher his key emphasis, or the literary features inflected by his disclosures. Nevertheless, Liu Shay's comments on modern literatures contained in his {When Shen Dao Loong} and other writings, did supply his readers further insights to the literary styles of the Soong and Chi Dynasties, with which this thesis is based upon to profile the influence political might of Soong and Chi Dynasties had on literature, in addition to the changes of "understated refinement of idioms" or "opulent wordings" of these two eras, as well as addressing the questions of cultural inheritance and reforms. Although Liu Shay did not describe directly the literary strength and weakness of South Dynasty in his 〈Background and Time Period〉, but from his descriptive remarks such as "intrinsic writings of rapture and perception", "upstanding literary giants", and "majestic style; elegant presentation", one may discern his profound understanding and in-depth awareness of the beatific literatures in the South Dynasty 2. Chinese literature, irrespective of poetry or verse, have clearly denoted a neo-style of "elegant wording, graceful resonant" up to the end of the Liu Soong era; but in the eyes of Liu Shay, no doubt the South Chi period was the peak of "literary development", for it was the last dynasty assessed in the 〈Background and Time Period〉. The ultimate metamorphosis of literary changes was realized under the influence of the ruler as he was "wise and sage as so crowned by heaven as emperor", "inheriting empire with sovereign intelligence", "continuing the works of forefathers with supreme intrinsic quality", and "multitalented by heritage glorifying the magnificent future of the country". Moreover, statements such as "structures of art and music exceeded those of the Chou Dynasty, and far excelled the Han; as of the great literary expose of the Tang Ran and Yu Shun periods were once again revived", and "intrinsic writings of rapture and perception", "eminent genius", and "regal style, grandeur presentation" were symbolic of the aesthetic contemporariness of the time 3. This paper aimed to explore the metamorphosing issues of "understatement" and "opulence" in the Soong and Chi Dynasties to the "belletristic appearance superceded substantial insightfulness" of the aesthetic-oriented contemporariness, in addition to the painstaking steps Liu Shay took to hide under the illusive cover of "classic master, the teachings of Confucius" in order to rip apart the formalism of "imminent embarkation onto the road of promiscuous decadence by straying away from the root and fundamentals of writing", as so articulated in his "Summation".