马蹄韵——对联的声律系统

Hoof-shaped rhyme: a systematic rule in composing Chinese couplets

马蹄韵是对联的声律系统。其基本特征是“仄顶仄 ,平顶平”。马蹄韵发端于南朝 ,到清代才形成一个完整的系统。它包括句脚平仄和句中平仄两大部分。句脚平仄因句数的不同而不同。句中平仄受句脚平仄和字数的制约 ,二者存在着不可分割的有机联系。马蹄韵使对联与诗词曲特别是诗的界限变得清晰。

The hoof shaped rhyme is a systematic rule governing rhythm of words in composing Chinese antithetical couplets. Its basic characteristics are 'level to level and oblique to oblique'. It originated in Nan Dynasty and a complete system was formed in Qing Dynasty. It consists of two parts:the level and oblique of the feet and that of the middle of the sentence. Different numbered sentences may have different level and oblique in the feet. The level and oblique in the middle of the sentence is limited by the level and oblique of the sentence feet, and the number of the words as well. The two are tied together organically. Without the hoof shaped rhyme,Chinese antithetical couplets may not be differentiated from poetry, Ci and Qu.