Highbrow and lowbrow, a dichotomy in literary criticism, refer to two kinds of

literary and artistic works, namely, the refined versus the popular, and the lofty

versus the vulgar. Highbrow describes works that are elegant and reflect what

conforms with mainstream ideology, whereas lowbrow-art forms tend to meet

popular aesthetic standard. From the perspective of art creation, highbrow art

may be exquisite, but often appears affected, whereas lowbrow art, which has a

folk origin, is natural, refreshing, unaffected, and unconstrained. From the Tang

Dynasty onward, it became a trend for men of letters to borrow the best from

popular art, thus further spurring the growth of lowbrow art, enriching cultural

life and leading to more diversified artistic expressions.