qiyan-lvshi

name	qiyan-lvshi
description	Rules for composing Chinese seven-character regulated verse (Qi Yan Lv Shi).

Seven-Character Regulated Verse (七言律诗)

The seven-character regulated verse (七言律诗) is a form of traditional Chinese poetry. It consists of 8 lines with 7 characters each.

1. Structure

• Length: 8 lines (4 couplets/联).
  • Couplet 1 (首联): Lines 1-2. Introduction.
  • Couplet 2 (颔联): Lines 3-4. Development. Must be antithetical (对仗).
  • Couplet 3 (颈联): Lines 5-6. Shift/Turning. Must be antithetical (对仗).
  • Couplet 4 (尾联): Lines 7-8. Conclusion.
• Total Characters: 56 (excluding title).

2. Tonal Patterns (Ping-Ze - 平仄)

Traditional poetry uses "Even" (平) and "Deflected" (仄) tones.

• Line 1: Generally rhymes (平声起韵).
• Line 2, 4, 6, 8: Must rhyme (押韵).

3. Antithesis (对仗 - Parallelism)

Couplets 2 (lines 3-4) and 3 (lines 5-6) must use strict parallelism:

• Grammatical: Noun vs Noun, Verb vs Verb, Adjective vs Adjective.
• Semantic: Mountains vs Rivers, Blue vs Red.

4. Usage in Task

When writing for a modern audience using Mandarin rhyme:

• Focus on the content flow: Intro -> Development (Antithesis) -> Shift (Antithesis) -> Conclusion.
• Ensure the middle four lines are parallel.