Both ZHU Xi’s idea of “literature originating from the Dao” and LIU Xie’s idea of “literature rooted in the Dao” understand literature ontologically, claiming that the Dao is the source of literature. However, they are distinguished from each other. LIU argues for the significance of literature since for him the Dao associates with abundant symbols. On the contrast, ZHU ignores and even rejects literature when he considers that the Dao implies abstract simplicity. The aesthetic essence of literature cannot be really valued until the ontology of the Dao is combined with the autonomy of literature.