Chinese Poetry and Lyrics

Chinese Poetry and Lyrics

Despite the popularity of the term “Tang Poetry and Song Lyrics”, these literary genres emerged well before the Tang or Song dynasties. The Classic of Poetry, complied in Spring and Autumn Period in Zhou Dynasty is considered as the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry.

Since the Han Dynasty, the art of poetry has been practised by scholars, who favoured a more liberal poetic format than that of gushi (ancient style poetry). The requirement of rhyme and metre became comprehensive and stringent later in the Tang Dynasty, known as jintishi (modern style poetry).

There have been differing views on the origin of lyrics, or ci. Some argue that it was introduced along with Middle East music during the Tang dynasty. Initially, ancient tunes were sung along with poetry by scholars. Afterwards, they modified the number of characters by considering the melody and therefore produced ci, whose advancement reached its zenith during the Song dynasty. Scores were drafted before their lyrics by then. Nowadays, while the sheet music was lost, ci has been handed down to generations.

The lyrics in #1314 take inspiration from Shakespeare’s sonnets. During the formulation of these Chinese verses, it could be the themes or phrases being brought up first. The process echoes interestingly with the conceiving of ci in Song Dynasty. Regarding its format, the Chinese dialogue and lyrics in #1314 bear more relevance to modern poetry, which only began to prevail during the onset of the 21st century.

Chinese poetry is profound and deep. Here in this booklet we only compare Chinese poems and sonnets according to their rhyme schemes and metre. It is palpable that the beauty of cadence is desired by poets from both the East and the West.

His tory

Structure Sonnet

Sonnet gained its popularity in Italy in the 13th century and was introduced to England in the 16th century. With a long-standing history, poetry matured to its prime during the pinnacle of Tang Dynasty (approx. the 8th century). Ci has its origin traced back to the Tang Dynasty and ascended to its acme during the Song Dynasty (approx. the 11th Century). The New Culture Movement in early 20th Century promoted writing with ordinary vernacular and abandoned ancient Chinese.

Containing 14 lines in total, an English sonnet can be divided into three quatrains (4-line stanzas) plus a final couplet (2-line stanza). The style can be categorised by the line length of 5 or 7 characters per line; or categorised by 4 or 8 lines per poem.

Quiet Night Thoughts (Jin Ye Shi) is a poem read by almost every Chinese child. It is a typical poem with 4 lines and 5 characters each. Composed for music, the length and number of characters are dependent on individual tunes. These tunes are called cipai.

A majority of cipai is divided into two halves, each featuring the same pattern of lines. There is no strict requirement on rhyme structures but influences from Western poetry are deep-seated.

Chinese Poetry (jintishi) Chinese Lyrics (ci) Chinese Modern Poetry

Rhyme scheme

Metre

Alternate rhymes are used and may vary. The final couplet end with the same rhyme. Even numbered lines end with the same rhyme throughout the poem. The rhymed words are of level tone; lines of odd number are unrhymed. The first line may or may not rhyme. They take a much more lenient approach on rhymes than poetry does. Both consistent rhyme and alternate rhyme can be deployed. During the New Culture Movement, there were poets who attempted to write sonnets in Chinese. One of these was Withdrawal (Shou Hui) by Wen Yiduo.

Iambic pentameter –an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed one. Deviations are occasionally acceptable. The effect of metre is sustained by the system of tonality, which is further divided into level and deflected tones. Their pattern is regulated according to certain standards. Each tune has its own pattern of tonality. Since ci is designed to accompany the melody, it shows a more rigid requirement on tonal pattern.

The requirement is even more demanding for Cantonese lyrics. It will be further discussed in the following section.

Below are the two examples cited above, translated into English.

Quiet Night Thoughts Li Bai

Bright moonlight before my bed I suppose it is frost on the ground. I raise my head to view the bright moon, then lower it, thinking of my home village.

Withdrawal Wen Yiduo

That day if Fate fan only release us, Don’t be afraid; although we must walk through a dark cave, Go bravely, let me take your hand, There is no need to ask from where blows that gust of dark wind.

Only remember what I have said today, keep in your heart The handful of tenderness, the petals of kisses, keep those flames of laughter in your heart, Pick them all up, without losing one – remember words, Pick them up, and the string of coral– coloured heart-beat.

I am sorry you have been grieved today – thirsty heart longing for heart –That time I should have let you pick them up, pick them to your heart’s content. Pick up the precious time that we have lost today. Those few mottled fading petals that were our love, Pick them up, and put them on.

You have put on the halo of love, Let us go on again, whether it is Hell of Heaven