The most distinctive artistry in "The Book of Songs" lies in its realistic depiction of objects in simple language, mirroring social reality with glimpses of ordinary life. Characterization in "The Book of Songs" is also realistic: Authors voice character's joys and sorrows through the direct expression of their inner feelings.

Most poems in "The Book of Songs" were written in three-character lines, rhyming every other line; however, there were also five- and seven-character lines as well as lines of irregular length. For example, "The Woodcutter's Song" was written in the form of irregular lines, which change along with the rising emotions and have distinct rhymes and musical quality.

The language used in "The Book of Songs" is focused, elegant, and lively. The skilled application of double-adjectives, rhyming words, and alliterations enhance the songs' artistic appeal. The adoption of the expressive techniques of fu (descriptive prose interspersed with verse), bi (metaphor), and xing (evocation) greatly reinforce its illustrative power.

The ruling class used poems in Ya and Song for specific occasions. Although they could not match the poems in "The Book of Songs" in their ideological content, they reflected some aspects of social life and therefore also had certain social meaning.

The Book of Poetry splendidly signaled the onset of Chinese literature. Its spirit of realism has exerted great influence on the literature of later times. The book enjoys a high reputation in both China's and the world's cultural history.