Rules for writing couplets

Author: Feng Tengjiao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: The writing of couplets and their rules have been explored and studied by many couplet enthusiasts and researchers. In recent years, the use of Ma Ti rhyme in couplets has been recognized and followed by many. However, many others have also put forward their own supplementary opinions and differing views. These differences mainly focus on the tonal patterns of the sentence endings in couplet writing: Is there only one pattern for the tonal patterns of sentence endings? What tonal patterns have couplet writers followed throughout history in their creative practices? Mr. Feng Tengjiao's book "The Rules of Couplet Writing" makes some valuable attempts and explorations on these issues. Using numerous couplets from ancient and modern times as examples, the author summarizes and generalizes five common couplet writing rules that have existed throughout the history of couplet creation and have been practiced by many couplet enthusiasts. These rules are: the "one (level tone) and many (oblique tone) path," the "two and many (oblique tone) format," the "all (level tone) sentence ending format," the "single sentence tonal alternation format," and the "double sentence tonal alternation format." By examining the application of these five couplet ending writing rules in the history of couplet creation, the author provides a relatively thorough validation of these five rules.