Regulated verse structure

Seven-Character Regulated Verse (七言律诗) Structure

Overview

A seven-character regulated verse (七言律诗, qīyán lǜshī) is one of the most formal and prestigious forms of classical Chinese poetry. It consists of exactly 8 lines, with each line containing exactly 7 characters. Strict tonal patterns and rhyming schemes must be followed.

Basic Requirements

Line Structure

• Total lines: 8 lines
• Characters per line: Exactly 7 characters
• Format: Title on first line, then 8 lines of verse

Tone Pattern (平仄 píng zè)

The tonal pattern must alternate between two types:

• 平 (píng): Level tone (typically tones 1st and 2nd in Mandarin)
• 仄 (zè): Oblique tones (typically tones 3rd and 4th in Mandarin)

Standard Regulated Verse Tone Pattern

The most common pattern for regulated verse is:

Pattern A (Starting with 平 level):

Line 1: 平 平 仄 仄 平 平 仄
Line 2: 仄 仄 平 平 仄 仄 平
Line 3: 仄 仄 平 平 仄 仄 平
Line 4: 平 平 仄 仄 平 平 仄
Line 5: 平 平 仄 仄 平 平 仄
Line 6: 仄 仄 平 平 仄 仄 平
Line 7: 仄 仄 平 平 仄 仄 平
Line 8: 平 平 仄 仄 平 平 仄

Pattern B (Starting with 仄 oblique):

Line 1: 仄 仄 平 平 仄 仄 平
Line 2: 平 平 仄 仄 平 平 仄
Line 3: 平 平 仄 仄 平 平 仄
Line 4: 仄 仄 平 平 仄 仄 平
Line 5: 仄 仄 平 平 仄 仄 平
Line 6: 平 平 仄 仄 平 平 仄
Line 7: 平 平 仄 仄 平 平 仄
Line 8: 仄 仄 平 平 仄 仄 平

Rhyme Scheme

• Rhyme positions: Lines 2, 4, 6, and 8 must rhyme (typically based on modern Mandarin pronunciation)
• Rhyming pattern: In regulated verse, lines end with characters that share the same rhyme sound
• Modern Mandarin rhyming: Use the final sound of the last character in each rhyming line

Couplets Structure

Regulated verse is organized into 4 couplets (each couplet = 2 lines):

1. 首联 (Shǒu lián) - Opening couplet: Lines 1-2
2. 颔联 (Hàn lián) - Neck couplet: Lines 3-4
3. 颈联 (Jǐng lián) - Waist couplet: Lines 5-6
4. 尾联 (Wěi lián) - Closing couplet: Lines 7-8

Composition Strategy

Theme Development

• Lines 1-2: Introduce the theme and set the scene
• Lines 3-4: Develop the theme with specific imagery
• Lines 5-6: Deepen emotional expression and meaning
• Lines 7-8: Conclude with resolution or reflection

Important Principles

1. Strict tonal adherence: Every character's tone must match the pattern
2. No character repetition: Avoid repeating the same character in the verse
3. Parallel structure: Lines 3-4 and lines 5-6 should show some parallelism in meaning and structure
4. Avoid awkward phrasing: Despite strict requirements, the language should flow naturally

Verification Checklist

Before finalizing:

• ✓ Exactly 8 lines
• ✓ Exactly 7 characters per line
• ✓ Tonal pattern matches one of the standard patterns
• ✓ Lines 2, 4, 6, 8 rhyme (same final sound)
• ✓ No character repetition throughout the poem
• ✓ Language is coherent and meaningful
• ✓ Theme is clear and well-developed across all 4 couplets