| name | chinese-regulated-verse |
| description | How to compose a seven-character regulated verse (七言律诗) in Classical Chinese poetry. Use this skill whenever the user asks to write classical Chinese poetry, a regulated verse, a 律诗, or any structured poem with tonal rules, rhyme schemes, and parallelism requirements. Covers structure, tonal patterns, rhyming (based on modern Mandarin), antithesis couplets, and thematic guidance. |
Seven-Character Regulated Verse (七言律诗)
Overview
A seven-character regulated verse (七言律诗, qīyán lǜshī) is one of the most prestigious forms of Classical Chinese poetry. It consists of 8 lines, each with exactly 7 characters. The poem follows strict rules on tone, rhyme, and parallelism.
Structure
Line 1 (首联 shǒulián, first couplet — line 1) [rhyme optional or required by pattern]
Line 2 (首联 shǒulián, first couplet — line 2) [rhyme required]
Line 3 (颔联 hàn lián, second couplet — line 3) [antithesis]
Line 4 (颔联 hàn lián, second couplet — line 4) [antithesis, rhyme required]
Line 5 (颈联 jǐng lián, third couplet — line 5) [antithesis]
Line 6 (颈联 jǐng lián, third couplet — line 6) [antithesis, rhyme required]
Line 7 (尾联 wěi lián, final couplet — line 7) [conclusion]
Line 8 (尾联 wěi lián, final couplet — line 8) [rhyme required]
Rhyme Scheme
- Lines 2, 4, 6, 8 must rhyme (same final vowel/rhyme group in Mandarin).
- Line 1 may also rhyme (common in regulated verse).
- All rhyming lines must end on a level tone (平声, píngshēng) in modern Mandarin: tones 1 (阴平) or 2 (阳平).
- The rhyme is consistent throughout — do not change rhyme sounds mid-poem.
Common Rhyme Groups (Modern Mandarin)
- -an / -ian / -uan group: 安、年、天、山、间、还、边、连、烟、田
- -ing / -eng group: 明、城、声、生、平、晴、情
- -ong / -iong group: 风、中、空、红、龙
- -ao group: 高、豪、刀、郊
- -ou group: 愁、流、秋、头、楼
Tonal Rules (Simplified)
Modern Mandarin tones:
- Level (平, píng): Tones 1 and 2
- Oblique (仄, zè): Tones 3 and 4 (and neutral tone)
The standard pattern for 七言律诗 (首句入韵 variant) per line positions 2, 4, 6:
- Lines 1, 2: 平仄仄 at positions 2,4,6 → 仄平平
- Lines 3, 4: 仄平平 → 平仄仄 (alternating)
- Key rule: position 2 and position 4 within a line should alternate between 平 and 仄
For thematic and accessible poetry, focus primarily on:
- Consistent end-rhyme on lines 1, 2, 4, 6, 8
- Antithetical parallelism in couplets 2 and 3 (lines 3-4 and 5-6)
- Seven characters per line exactly
Parallelism (对仗, duìzhàng)
The second and third couplets (lines 3-4 and lines 5-6) must be antithetical couplets:
- Same grammatical structure in both lines
- Contrasting or complementary meanings
- Same part of speech at each position (noun vs noun, verb vs verb, etc.)
Example of parallelism:
烽火连三月，（战争意象：名词+动词+数量）
家书抵万金。（和平意象：名词+动词+数量）
(From Du Fu's 春望)
Thematic Guidance: War and Peace
When writing about war suffering and longing for peace:
Opening couplet (lines 1-2): Set the scene — describe the war-torn landscape or era.
- Use imagery: smoke, ruins, empty villages, crying, displacement
Second couplet (lines 3-4): Personal suffering — the ordinary person's experience.
- Separation from family, hunger, fear, watching loved ones leave for war
- Must use antithesis: contrast the past (peace) with the present (war), or contrast natural peace with human suffering
Third couplet (lines 5-6): Deepen emotional resonance.
- The longing for home, the hope for peace, the silence after battle
- Must use antithesis: e.g., "swords" vs "plows", "drums" vs "singing"
Closing couplet (lines 7-8): Express the wish for peace and resolution.
- Look to the future, invoke hope, or lament the ongoing suffering
- End on an emotionally resonant note
Composition Checklist
Output Format
[Title]
[Line 1 — 7 chars]
[Line 2 — 7 chars, rhyme]
[Line 3 — 7 chars, antithesis part A]
[Line 4 — 7 chars, antithesis part B, rhyme]
[Line 5 — 7 chars, antithesis part C]
[Line 6 — 7 chars, antithesis part D, rhyme]
[Line 7 — 7 chars]
[Line 8 — 7 chars, rhyme]
