diff --git a/sphinx/pycode/ast.py b/sphinx/pycode/ast.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9405a6e9b62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sphinx/pycode/ast.py
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+"""
+    sphinx.pycode.ast
+    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+    Helpers for AST (Abstract Syntax Tree).
+
+    :copyright: Copyright 2007-2020 by the Sphinx team, see AUTHORS.
+    :license: BSD, see LICENSE for details.
+"""
+
+import sys
+
+if sys.version_info > (3, 8):
+    import ast
+else:
+    try:
+        # use typed_ast module if installed
+        from typed_ast import ast3 as ast
+    except ImportError:
+        import ast  # type: ignore
+
+
+def parse(code: str, mode: str = 'exec') -> "ast.AST":
+    """Parse the *code* using built-in ast or typed_ast.
+
+    This enables "type_comments" feature if possible.
+    """
+    try:
+        # type_comments parameter is available on py38+
+        return ast.parse(code, mode=mode, type_comments=True)  # type: ignore
+    except TypeError:
+        # fallback to ast module.
+        # typed_ast is used to parse type_comments if installed.
+        return ast.parse(code, mode=mode)
+
+
+def unparse(node: ast.AST) -> str:
+    """Unparse an AST to string."""
+    if node is None:
+        return None
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.Attribute):
+        return "%s.%s" % (unparse(node.value), node.attr)
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.Bytes):
+        return repr(node.s)
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.Call):
+        args = ([unparse(e) for e in node.args] +
+                ["%s=%s" % (k.arg, unparse(k.value)) for k in node.keywords])
+        return "%s(%s)" % (unparse(node.func), ", ".join(args))
+    elif sys.version_info > (3, 6) and isinstance(node, ast.Constant):  # type: ignore
+        return repr(node.value)
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.Dict):
+        keys = (unparse(k) for k in node.keys)
+        values = (unparse(v) for v in node.values)
+        items = (k + ": " + v for k, v in zip(keys, values))
+        return "{" + ", ".join(items) + "}"
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.Ellipsis):
+        return "..."
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.Index):
+        return unparse(node.value)
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.Lambda):
+        return "<function <lambda>>"  # TODO
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.List):
+        return "[" + ", ".join(unparse(e) for e in node.elts) + "]"
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.Name):
+        return node.id
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.NameConstant):
+        return repr(node.value)
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.Num):
+        return repr(node.n)
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.Set):
+        return "{" + ", ".join(unparse(e) for e in node.elts) + "}"
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.Str):
+        return repr(node.s)
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.Subscript):
+        return "%s[%s]" % (unparse(node.value), unparse(node.slice))
+    elif isinstance(node, ast.Tuple):
+        return ", ".join(unparse(e) for e in node.elts)
+    else:
+        raise NotImplementedError('Unable to parse %s object' % type(node).__name__)
diff --git a/tests/test_pycode_ast.py b/tests/test_pycode_ast.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..af7e34a86ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_pycode_ast.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+"""
+    test_pycode_ast
+    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+    Test pycode.ast
+
+    :copyright: Copyright 2007-2016 by the Sphinx team, see AUTHORS.
+    :license: BSD, see LICENSE for details.
+"""
+
+import pytest
+
+from sphinx.pycode import ast
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('source,expected', [
+    ("os.path", "os.path"),                     # Attribute
+    ("b'bytes'", "b'bytes'"),                   # Bytes
+    ("object()", "object()"),                   # Call
+    ("1234", "1234"),                           # Constant
+    ("{'key1': 'value1', 'key2': 'value2'}",
+     "{'key1': 'value1', 'key2': 'value2'}"),   # Dict
+    ("...", "..."),                             # Ellipsis
+    ("Tuple[int, int]", "Tuple[int, int]"),     # Index, Subscript
+    ("lambda x, y: x + y",
+     "<function <lambda>>"),                    # Lambda
+    ("[1, 2, 3]", "[1, 2, 3]"),                 # List
+    ("sys", "sys"),                             # Name, NameConstant
+    ("1234", "1234"),                           # Num
+    ("{1, 2, 3}", "{1, 2, 3}"),                 # Set
+    ("'str'", "'str'"),                         # Str
+    ("(1, 2, 3)", "1, 2, 3"),                   # Tuple
+])
+def test_unparse(source, expected):
+    module = ast.parse(source)
+    assert ast.unparse(module.body[0].value) == expected
+
+
+def test_unparse_None():
+    assert ast.unparse(None) is None