Abstract: The appraisal of people stands as the core embodiment of the charming and unrestrained ethos of the Wei-Jin period (220-420). The formation and usage of language used for the appraisal is closely related to the spiritual pursuits and philosophical realms of the literati during the period, and the of Southern and Northern Dynasties(420-589). Jian (simplicity) represents a pivotal aesthetic category in the appraisal and serves as one of the aesthetic criteria for the literati of the Wei-Jin period regarding the aesthetics of inner character. During the wei-jin Period and the Dynasties and Southern and Northern Dynasties, simplicity is manifested in individuals’ personalities by three distinct trends. Firstly, it was expressed through the literati’s eccentric and unrestrained personalities. Secondly, it embodied their spiritual realm of being at one with the Dao. Thirdly, it was inclined toward a philosophy of simple living, one actively embraced by the literati. The inclination is due to the moral significance which underwent a certain degree of internalization although the moral functions derived from the concept of simplicity in previous dynasties remain fundamentally.