Chinese regulated verse

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:

1. Consistent end-rhyme on lines 1, 2, 4, 6, 8
2. Antithetical parallelism in couplets 2 and 3 (lines 3-4 and 5-6)
3. 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

• Title chosen (evocative, 2-5 characters typical)
• Exactly 8 lines, 7 characters each
• Lines 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 share the same rhyme (level tone ending)
• Lines 3-4 form an antithetical couplet
• Lines 5-6 form an antithetical couplet
• Consistent theme throughout
• Classical Chinese diction (archaic vocabulary appropriate)

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]