Poetry Metering Tutorial

Author: Xie Taofang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: Poetic and Lyric Rules: A Practical Textbook is a comprehensive guide on poetic and lyric rules, divided into two main parts: Tutorial on Poetic Rules and Tutorial on Lyric Rules. It provides detailed explanations on the key principles of poetic and lyric creation, including the composition of lyric rules, rhyme usage in lyrics, the phonetic and tonal standards of poetic rules, and the formation of poetic rules. This book is suitable for reference and study by those interested in poetic and lyric writing. Since 1987, the author has taught poetic and lyric rules to several batches of graduate students with excellent results. Students who study diligently can master the basic techniques of poetic and lyric creation. The author is well aware of the difficulties in learning poetic and lyric rules and summarizes the key principles as follows:
1. Identifying the tones of characters (level and oblique) and distinguishing rhyme tones must be based on the Lǐbù Yùnlǜ (Pingshu Yun) from the Guangyun phonetic system.
2. Learning poetic and lyric rules should begin with five-character regulated verse (wǔyán lǜshī).
3. The key to five-character regulated verse lies in distinguishing between the oblique-starting and level-starting forms.
Regarding these three points, the author has summarized practical experience in a relatively scientific manner, making them simple and easy to understand. As long as the prescribed exercises are completed, readers can master these principles.
In academic pursuits, the initial stage is often the most challenging, and the right approach and methods are crucial. The author’s goal in teaching poetic and lyric rules is to guide beginners to grasp the basics. For those who wish to delve deeper into the art of poetic and lyric creation, this textbook is not the definitive resource.