"In contrast with the rich poetic world of Tang and Song, the Ming is characterized by epic works such as Water Margin, Journey to the West, and The Plum in the Golden Vase. In contrast with the naive sculptural arts of Tang and Song, the Ming, especially in the period 1426 to 1620, is characterized by elaborate taoci ceramics and the red tihong and polychrome tianqi lacquer ware. And from the standpoint of scholarship, in contrast with the Buddhist philosophy and Confucian prosperity of Tang and Song, the Ming might be characterized by a vacuity of creative power."
"In contrast with the rich poetic world of Tang and Song, the Ming is characterized by epic works such as Water Margin, Journey to the West, and The Plum in the Golden Vase. In contrast with the naive sculptural arts of Tang and Song, the Ming, especially in the period 1426 to 1620, is characterized by elaborate taoci ceramics and the red tihong and polychrome tianqi lacquer ware. And from the standpoint of scholarship, in contrast with the Buddhist philosophy and Confucian prosperity of Tang and Song, the Ming might be characterized by a vacuity of creative power."
Watsuji Tetsurō. "Who Was Confucius?"