The
popularization and
consumption of lyrics and dramatic songs used t o enjoy great prosperity in the poetic circles of
Northern Song Dynas ty. The lyrics and dramat ic songs became popular among the lyrical poets, booksellers and prostitutes in various forms through letters, books, court receptions, feasts and banquets in s inging houses, farewell gifts and sightseeing in the outskirts. The consumption had the characteristics of pleasure, duality and popularity over the entire nati on. The flourishing activities began under three major conditions, firstly the condu cive external background of Bianjing, secondly the matured internal mechanism of the lyrics and dramatic songs, thirdly the adequate circulation process of spre ad and consumption in Bianjing. On the basis of writing practice, people in Nort hern Song Dynasty formed a preliminary
popularization-consumption theory. The po pularization theory was based on the proposition that popularity was a sign of q uality while the consumption theory considered the lyrics and dramatic songs as an ordinary, objective, public form of entertainment as well as business activit y.