Here is the English translation of the provided content: : Literary Knowledge on Ci Poetry: Four Perspectives by Renowned Scholars: An Overview of Ci Studies

Author: Wu Shu
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not available
Features: Ci is a literary form closely related to music. Initially referred to as "quzi ci." During the early period of ci's development, it was used to accompany musical performances. The melody came first, and then lines of poetry were composed based on the length and rhythm of the melody. This process is called "yisheng tienci," meaning to fill in lyrics according to the musical score. Ci is a shortened form of "quzi ci." It flourished in the Tang Dynasty and reached its peak in the Song Dynasty. It succeeded Tang poetry and paved the way for Yuan qu, becoming one of the main forms of Chinese poetry and also a type of regulated verse. It was not until the Southern Song Dynasty that ci gradually detached from music and ceased to be used for singing, evolving into an independent literary form with a unique style.
This book is an informative work. While the knowledge of writing and appreciating ci is not within the scope of this book, almost all the basic knowledge related to ci is discussed here. It also dedicates considerable space to explaining the rules of ci. Since the rules of ci are closely related to those of poetry, a brief introduction to the rules of poetry is also included.