宋代的詩話彙編總集共有四種，以魏慶之的《詩人玉屑》最為晚出，輯錄的資料廣泛而完備。批評家選取資料，既其價值判斷和批評取向，則由編纂的角度考察魏慶之的論詩方式，實具意義。他身處南宋末年，通過編纂《詩人玉屑》推許唐音和提出詩歌應重韻味、重寄託的詩學理念。郭紹虞指出魏慶之上承了張戒、姜夔及嚴羽的詩論。沿此論詩系統考察《詩人玉屑》，可以歸納魏慶之的詩學觀和理出南宋詩學的發展脈絡。

Of the shi hua (詩話 “poetics talks” or notes on poetry) surviving from the Song dynasty, the Shiren yuxie (詩人玉屑 Jade Chips of the Poets) compiled by Wei Qingzhi 魏慶之 was completed at a relatively late date and is the most exhaustive. Given that critics’ value judgments and critical biases influence their selection of material, a study of this book from the point of view of its compilation is important for understanding the author. Wei lived during the late Southern Song dynasty and his work praises tang yin (唐音 the sound of the Tang) while noting that poems should stress rhyme and allegory. As pointed out by Guo Shauyu 郭紹虞, Wei builds on the poetics of Zhang Jie 張戒, Jiang Kui 姜夔, and Yan Yu 嚴羽. Thus by studying this work in light of that tradition, we can get an understanding of Wei’s poetics and trace the development of poetics during the Southern Song dynasty.