Run2 qiyan lushi

七言律诗 (Seven-Character Regulated Verse) — Complete Guide

Basic Structure

• 8 lines total, each with exactly 7 Chinese characters
• 4 named couplets:
  • 首联 (Lines 1-2): Opening couplet — sets scene, no parallel required
  • 颔联 (Lines 3-4): Second couplet — must be parallel (对仗)
  • 颈联 (Lines 5-6): Third couplet — must be parallel (对仗)
  • 尾联 (Lines 7-8): Closing couplet — expresses emotion/wish, no parallel required

Rhyme Scheme

• Lines 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 end with rhyming characters (押平韵)
• Lines 3, 5, 7 do NOT rhyme (仄声 ending preferred)
• Each rhyme character must be different — no repetition allowed
• All rhyme characters belong to the same modern Mandarin rhyme group

Modern Mandarin Rhyme Groups (正确分组)

Rhyme = same 韵母 (final vowel in Pinyin, ignoring initial consonant):

Group	Pinyin ending	Example characters
an	-an, -ian, -uan	山shān, 寒hán, 难nán, 残cán, 安ān, 天tiān, 年nián, 烟yān, 关guān
ing	-ing, -iong	明míng, 清qīng, 情qíng, 平píng, 声shēng ❌ (shēng ends in -eng, NOT -ing!)
eng	-eng, -ong	声shēng, 城chéng, 风fēng, 中zhōng
i	-i, -ü	时shí, 期qī, 知zhī, 迟chí
u	-u	湖hú, 孤gū, 途tú

CORRECTION from run1: 声(shēng) belongs to -eng group, NOT -ing group.

Parallel Couplet (对仗) Requirements

Lines 3-4 and 5-6 each form a parallel pair:

Grammar Matching

• Each character/word position should match grammatically:
  • Noun ↔ Noun, Verb ↔ Verb, Adjective ↔ Adjective
  • 2-char compounds pair with 2-char compounds

Quality Levels

• Excellent: Contrasting meaning + matching grammar + vivid imagery
  • 老翁挥泪送儿去 / 稚女含悲问父难
    • 老翁(n) ↔ 稚女(n), 挥泪(vp) ↔ 含悲(vp), 送儿(vo) ↔ 问父(vo), 去(v) ↔ 难(adj)
• Good: Matching grammar, somewhat related meaning
• Poor: Only matching syllable count, different grammar

Couplet Pair Tips

• Line 3 subject ↔ Line 4 subject should contrast (old/young, male/female, person/object)
• Actions should be parallel in intensity and type
• Both lines should advance the same theme

Tonal Pattern (平仄) — Simplified

For modern composition, focus on rhyme. Optional but traditional:

• Rhyming lines (1,2,4,6,8) typically end with 平声 (tones 1 or 2)
• Non-rhyming lines (3,5,7) typically end with 仄声 (tones 3 or 4)

Verification Checklist

Before finalizing:

• Exactly 7 characters per line (count each character)
• Exactly 8 lines
• Lines 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 all rhyme with the same vowel group
• No rhyme character repeated
• Lines 3, 5, 7 do NOT rhyme with the rhyme group
• Lines 3-4 form a parallel couplet (对仗)
• Lines 5-6 form a parallel couplet (对仗)
• Poem flows logically (scene → suffering → destruction → wish)
• Non-rhyming line endings are preferably 仄声

Output Format

[Title]
[Line 1 - 7 chars, rhymes]
[Line 2 - 7 chars, rhymes]
[Line 3 - 7 chars, no rhyme]
[Line 4 - 7 chars, rhymes]
[Line 5 - 7 chars, no rhyme]
[Line 6 - 7 chars, rhymes]
[Line 7 - 7 chars, no rhyme]
[Line 8 - 7 chars, rhymes]