| name | chinese-classical-poetry |
| description | How to compose a seven-character regulated verse (七言律诗) in Classical Chinese, including tonal patterns, rhyme schemes, and structural requirements. |
Seven-Character Regulated Verse (七言律诗)
Overview
A 七言律诗 (qīyán lǜshī) is a classical Chinese poetic form with strict structural, tonal, and rhyme rules. It consists of 8 lines, each containing exactly 7 Chinese characters.
Structure
| Lines | Name | Requirement |
|---|
| 1–2 | 首联 (shǒulián) | Opening couplet; sets the scene/theme |
| 3–4 | 颔联 (hànlián) | Second couplet; must be parallel (对仗) |
| 5–6 | 颈联 (jǐnglián) | Third couplet; must be parallel (对仗) |
| 7–8 | 尾联 (wěilián) | Closing couplet; conveys emotion or conclusion |
Rhyme Scheme
- Lines 2, 4, 6, 8 must rhyme (end on the same rhyme group).
- Line 1 may optionally rhyme with the even lines.
- All rhyming characters must be 平声 (level tone = tones 1 and 2 in Mandarin).
- For modern Mandarin rhyming, characters sharing the same final vowel cluster (韵母) are considered rhyming.
- Example rhyme groups: -ang (长/肠/方/凉/光), -ing (明/清/声/情), -an (安/天/年/眠)
Tonal Pattern (平仄)
Two primary patterns (starting with 仄 or 平). For lines ending in rhyme (平声):
Pattern A (仄起首句入韵):
Line 1: 仄仄平平仄仄平 (rhymes)
Line 2: 平平仄仄仄平平 (rhymes)
Line 3: 平平仄仄平平仄
Line 4: 仄仄平平仄仄平 (rhymes)
Line 5: 仄仄平平平仄仄
Line 6: 平平仄仄仄平平 (rhymes)
Line 7: 平平仄仄平平仄
Line 8: 仄仄平平仄仄平 (rhymes)
Key rule: 平 = tones 1 & 2; 仄 = tones 3 & 4.
Parallelism Requirements (对仗)
Lines 3–4 and 5–6 must form syntactic parallels:
- Nouns match nouns, verbs match verbs
- Same grammatical position, contrasting or complementary meaning
- Typical word categories: place/nature nouns, action verbs, descriptors
Example:
田园荒废无人种，(田园 / 荒废 / 无人种)
骨肉分离各一方。(骨肉 / 分离 / 各一方)
Composition Tips for War/Peace Themes
- 首联: Establish the wartime setting with sensory imagery (drums, smoke, banners)
- 颔联: Describe civilian suffering in parallel couplet (abandoned fields, separated families)
- 颈联: Deepen emotion — isolated figures, silence, longing (geese as messengers, lone lamps)
- 尾联: Pivot to hope — express longing for peace, transforming weapons to tools
File Format
When saving a poem to a .txt file:
<Title>
<Line 1>
<Line 2>
<Line 3>
<Line 4>
<Line 5>
<Line 6>
<Line 7>
<Line 8>
Title on line 1, followed by exactly 8 lines of verse (no blank lines between unless specified).
