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.