From
诗品 by
钟嵘 (Southern Dynasties):
谢诗如芙蓉出水,
颜如错彩镂金 - 'Xie's poetry is like a lotus rising from the water, [Yan's] is like inlaid gold and woven brocade.' Zhong used it to praise the plain, unornamented style of
谢灵运 over the ornate one of
颜延之. Today the phrase praises any work of natural elegance, or describes a strikingly fresh-faced beauty.