由于强烈的政治性和理学性,“三杨”台阁派有浓厚的“鸣盛”“鸣治”意识。在古文上,主张向受到成祖、仁宗推崇的欧阳修学习,要求思想醇朴、内容正大、表述典则,具有雍容和雅、平正纤徐等特征。在诗歌上,主张向得君子性情之正的盛唐诗歌学习,反映时代的“治世”特点,要求具有“清粹典则,天趣自然”的诗美特征。而对论争,则往往采取“不激不随”的态度,体现了其时文学思想的沉闷和文学论争气氛的淡薄。
The Tai-ge school deputed by Yang Shi-qi, Yang Rong and Yang Pu regarded that literature must sing for the flourishing era because of their political status and Confucianism. Thus they claimed articles must learn from Ou Yang-xiu whose style of writing is a stand for purity and elegance, and affirmed poetry must learn from the Great Tang dynasty which is regarded as a symbol of solemnity, harmoniousness and naturalness. But when dispute suddenly falls on, their attitude is tender and modesty. All of these revealed the tediousness on the literary thought and boredom of the literary disoute at that time.