Nineteen Ancient Poems, the title of a group of poems, was first seen in Anthology. It was selected by Xiao Tong of the Liang state in the Southern Dynasty from Ancient Poems that was handed down from some anonymous writer. The editor collected the five-character poems of anonymous writers and named them Nineteen Ancient Poems, which were listed on the top of the "miscellaneous poems", and were regarded as a group of poems by later generations. About the author and the age of Nineteen Ancient Poems there are various sayings. It is generally acknowledged that it was not written by a single person at a single age, and the age of its birth should be during the late period of Emperor Shun and before the reign of Emperor Xian of the Eastern Han Dynasty, namely, the period from 140 A.D. to 190 A. D.

Nineteen Ancient Poems is a remarkable symbol of the ballads of Yuefu becoming refined and written by those literati. The literati of the late Han Dynasty, for their attention on the existence value of individuals, established a more extensive and profound emotional tie with the social and natural environment in which they lived. Things that were connected with outer fame in the past gave way to the real life and spiritual life of the poets, and the subject matter, style and technique of literature hence were changed a lot.

Nineteen Ancient Poems played an important role in the development of five-character poems, and is of great significance in the history of Chinese poetry as well. Its subject matter and expressive method were followed by the later generations to the extent that they almost became the exemplary model. Its artistic style also influenced the creation and critique of poems of later ages. In view of the actual situation of the development of ancient poetry, it will not be exaggerated to credit it as "the crown of five-character poems" and "the founder of the five-character poems through ages."