At the beginning of the Han Dynasty , certain works by Jia Yi , Huainan Shan , etc ., though entitled rhymed prose , proved to be a vestige of the “Poetry of the South” with traces of transition from the poetry of the south to the rhymed prose . The cornerstone of the style of the rhymed prose was laid primarily by Mei Chen in his famous “Seven Discussions”. This work supposed that the crown that the crown prince of the Chu Kingdom was ill and held conversations with a traveler from the Wu Kingdom . It used elegant dictions to describe elaborately the six pleasures of music , gourmandism , horses and chariots , barbeques and excursions , hunting , and watching tide at beach . Finally the traveler quoted the “maxims” of the virtuous sages . This work showed the purpose of literature to be beneficial to political teachings . The elaboration and exaggeration of it impressed forcefully the mentality of the readers , making the readers feel , as if they were personally on the scene . Its elegant literary style was modeled after by many later writers , leading to the “seven discussions style” in the history of the rhymed prose .
　　The later period of the Western Han Dynasty saw the flourish of the rhymed prose . This period was named the “Grand Han Rhymed Prose Period”. During the reign of Emperor Wu , China was rich and powerful with a developed economy . “The Emperor owned the four seas . The majestic literary style was needed to enhance the prestige of the Emperor”. To meet the need to “glorify the great deeds”, the writers of rhymed prose in that period used exaggerated dictions o describe the prestige of the Han emperors . Positive praises complemented by indirect exhortation form the political characteristic of the Han rhymed prose .

　　The greatest writer of the rhymed prose during the reign of Emperor Wu was Sima Xiangru . His representative works were “Zi Xu Fu” (rhymed prose of the empty person) and “Shang Lin Fu” (rhymed prose of the royal forest) . In the former , he used imaginary figures, Zi Xu , Wu You (nonexistent person) and Wang Shi Gong (missing person). Through the conversation among them he described the beauty of Yun Meng Lake and the joy of singing , dancing and hunting of the emperor . When Emperor Wu read the work he appreciated it very much and summoned Sima Xiangru to his palace to show his favor . In the latter , Sima Xiangru described with even more exaggerated dictions the hunting scene of the emperor-the magnificent mountains and river , the elegant halls and pavilions , the beautiful plants , and the joy of hunting . The later work was full of elegant halls and pavilions , the beautiful plants , and the joy of hunting . The later work was full of elegant dictions and literary elegance , but overemphasized the form and short of feelings and sentiments . So, although his works pushed the Han rhymed prose to the pinnacle , yet his works also pushed the rhymed prose to an impasse .
.　　In the Eastern Han Dynasty , the famous rhymed prose writer Ban Gu composed the “Two Metropolises” depicting the prosperity in the western capital Chang’an and in the eastern capital Luoyang . Another rhymed prose writer Zhang Hen composed the “Two Capitals”, which was even more elaborated and hyperbolic , depicting the urban traders , chivalrous persons , lobbyists , acrobats , wrestlers and actors . The two pieces were both grandiose and used elegant dictions .
　　 In short , in the rhymed prose of Sima Xianru , Zhang Heng and Ban Gu , the beautiful natural scenery , prosperous cities , well-developed commerce , abundant produce , imposing palaces , luxurious clothing , precious birds and beasts , majestic celebrities , adventurous hunting and joy of singing and dancing , all were elaborately and hyperbolically depicted , befitting the fortunes , splendor and prestige of the empire . In the Chinese cultural history , they highlighted the territorial expansion , the enterprising spirit and the magnificence of the Han Empire .