Listen to this articleqìxiàng 气象
Prevailing Features
原是自然界中景色物候的总称，也指某个时期社会的总体精神风貌。“气象”兼指气概、气势和景色、景物两方面而言。具体到艺术领域，指艺术作品所呈现出的风格与气概，内涵偏重于宏伟壮大，多用“雄浑”“浑厚”“峥嵘”等来修饰。唐代文论家们开始用“气象”一词来论述诗歌、文章的神采和风貌。从宋代起，“气象”成为文论的重要概念，用以品评诗歌、文章以及书画作品的风格与气概。“气象”往往反映特定文艺时期的精神风貌，例如盛唐气象实即盛唐时代的诗歌风貌，也与创作者个人的襟抱气度相关。
Qixiang (气象), originally a term about the general state of scenery and physical objects in nature, also refers to the prevailing features of a society in a given period of time. This description carries the meaning of great appeal and impact as well as scenery and objects. When applied to art, it refers to the overall style and appeal in a piece of artistic work. It connotes grandeur and magnificence, and is often used in conjunction with such words as “heroic,” “immense,” and “sublime.” Literary critics of the Tang Dynasty began using the term to comment on the style and features of a poem or an essay. Since the Song Dynasty, the term has become an important concept in literary criticism, used to critique the style and artistic flair of poems, essays, calligraphy, and paintings. It is often thought to reflect the prevailing features in literature and art of a particular period. For instance, during the prime of the Tang Dynasty, the term referred to the appeal of both poems and the poets who wrote them.
引例 Citations：
◎盛唐诸公之诗，如颜鲁公书，既笔力雄壮，又气象浑厚。（严羽《答出继叔临安吴景仙书》）
（盛唐诸多诗人的诗作，好比颜真卿的书法作品一样，既笔力雄壮感人，又气象质朴厚重。）
Works of many poets during the prime of the Tang Dynasty struck readers with their powerful expression, just like the calligraphy of Yan Zhenqing. (Yan Yu: Letter in Reply to Uncle Wu Jingxian in Lin’an)
◎大凡为文当使气象峥嵘，五色绚烂，渐老渐熟，及造平淡。（周紫芝《竹坡诗话》引苏轼语）
（一般说来，写文章应该做到气象高峻壮美，语言文采绚丽。随着作者年龄增长、阅历丰富及风格逐渐成熟，最终归于平淡自然。）
Generally speaking, one should strive to achieve an elegant style and powerful expression in writing. However, as a writer becomes more experienced, his writing will grow simple and natural in style. (Zhou Zizhi: Zhupo’s Poetry Comments)
◎五言律诗，唯工部诸作气象巍峨，规模宏远。（胡应麟《诗薮》）
（就五言律诗而言，只有杜甫的作品气象高峻不凡，格局广阔深远。）
Regarding five-character-a-line verses, only Du Fu’s poems possess a style that is imposing and original and a quality that is both profound and forceful. (Hu Yinglinf: An In-depth Exploration of Poetry)
