What types of couplets can be divided into?

Frankly speaking, there is still a lack of clear theoretical research on the classification of couplets. In many cases, the classification of couplets is obviously arbitrary. There is often no unified standard for the classification of couplet types, the conceptual connotation of different types of couplets is often vague, and the extensions between different types of couplets often overlap each other, and so on. It should be said that these phenomena violate the basic requirements of scientific classification. In view of this, the author puts forward some superficial ideas of his own in order to attract more attention.

The author thinks that the classification of couplets, like any other classification, needs to be clear about two main problems: first, the standard of couplet classification should be clear; Secondly, in the classification under certain standards, we must make clear the concept connotation and extension of different types of couplets, and try our best to avoid or narrow the intersection and overlap of extensions.

There are many standards for the classification of couplets, as follows: First, according to the number of words in couplets, they are divided into long couplets and short couplets. The upper and lower couplets are composed of many characters, called long couplets; Couplets composed of fewer words are called short couplets. There is no absolute boundary between long couplets and short couplets in terms of words, and there are different opinions on couplets, and there is no conclusion yet. Generally speaking, there are four representative views: the first one advocates 16 or 22 as the lower limit of the number of words in long couplets (as Mr. Lu said); The second category advocates taking 30 words or 40 words as the lower limit of the number of long-term words (as Mr. Yu Dequan said); The third category advocates taking 60 words or 70 words of the whole couplet as the lower limit of the number of long couplet words (as Mr. Zhou said); The fourth category advocates that 90 words or 100 words of the All-China Federation are the lower limit of the number of long-term couplets (as Mr. Changjiang said). Investigate its reason, the above viewpoints are self-contained. Relatively speaking, I personally prefer to say 30 words or 40 words, because this range seems to be close to people's usual vague feeling of long and short conjunctions. But it can be said that no matter how many words are used to draw a long couplet and a short couplet, it seems reluctant, especially when there is only one or a few words difference, it is even more blunt. In fact, both long couplet and short couplet belong to the category of fuzzy concepts, and it is unnecessary and difficult to draw the boundary between them with words. So do other literary genres, such as long poems and short poems. So far, I'm afraid there is no absolute limit on the number of lines. Therefore, it may be better if there is a relatively reasonable unified standard, which is stipulated separately and forms a whole when choosing long and short links.

Second, according to the number of sentences and the relationship between sentences, couplets can be divided into three types: single sentence couplet, complex sentence couplet and sentence group couplet. The upper and lower couplets are composed of single sentences, which are called single-sentence couplets; According to the length of metrical literary sentences, single-sentence couplets are generally short couplets (long couplets are said to be more than 30 words in total). Couplets composed of two or more clauses are called compound couplets. Complex couplets are generally between long and short couplets. A couplet consisting of two or more complex sentences is called a sentence group (or paragraph). Sentence group association is generally long association. The significance of this division lies in that it is related to the hierarchical arrangement of sentence feet.

Thirdly, according to the metrical requirements and rigor of antithesis, couplets can be divided into wide antithesis, industrial antithesis, skillful antithesis and absolute antithesis. The so-called "capacity" refers to couplets or sentences with loose or flexible rules and less neat antithesis. The so-called pair of workers, also known as strict pair, is a couplet or sentence with strict rules and stable antithesis; The so-called clever pair is also called clever pair, that is, the antithesis is quite clever and unique, or some special skills are highlighted (if it is stable at the same time, it can also be called clever pair); The so-called absolute, can also be called wonderful pair, that is, the antithesis is difficult or natural, so it is difficult to have other antitheses that can match the sentence or be comparable to the existing antithesis. Of course, there is no clear line between tolerance, work, intelligence and absoluteness.

Fourth, according to the content correspondence of the upper and lower couplets, it is divided into positive pairs, negative pairs and flow pairs. The content correspondence between most couplets belongs to the mutual foil relationship. This kind of foil, either from the same angle, complement each other (the so-called "right"), or from the opposite angle, contrast each other (the so-called "opposition"). Generally speaking, the right pair, that is, the upper and lower parts have similar ideas, and the right pair, that is, the upper and lower parts have opposite ideas. There are also a few couplets whose contents correspond to each other (so-called "running pair" or "string pair"), that is, the two clauses of the upper and lower couplets form a complex sentence, and the upper and lower couplets have a complex relationship of coherence, progression, choice, turning, causality, hypothesis, condition and purpose.

Fifth, according to the writing skills or rhetorical devices of couplets, they can also be divided into inlays, palindromes, riddles, sets of sentences, hidden couplets, rhyming couplets and so on. But strictly speaking, it should be called inlay, palindrome, riddle, set sentence, hidden word, rhyme and so on.

Sixth, according to the content and use of couplets. Theoretically, this division is more difficult to be strict and complete. But in practice, only this division is more meaningful, because it is closely related to the arrangement style of couplets. The division of couplets mainly refers to this. Therefore, the author intends to discuss this classification. Generally speaking, couplets have the nature of a title or a gift, so writing couplets is often called a title couplet. The author thinks that according to the different contents and objects of couplets, they can be roughly divided into nine categories: festival couplets, festive couplets, mourning couplets, landscape couplets, industry couplets, topic couplets, miscellaneous couplets, academic couplets and interesting couplets. Among them, each category can be divided into several subcategories. These nine couplets are briefly introduced as follows:

1. Festival couplets: refer to couplets with specific timeliness or commemoration, and the contents are mostly general chanting, lyricism, discussion and wishes. Strictly speaking, it can be divided into festival couplets and season couplets, but since they are often integrated, this distinction has no practical significance. Generally speaking, couplets can be directly divided into Spring Festival couplets, New Year's Day couplets and National Day couplets. In the Spring Festival couplets, the most important thing is the Spring Festival couplets. The so-called Spring Festival couplets are seasonal couplets used in the Spring Festival. Most Spring Festival couplets can be used universally.

2. Festive couplets: also known as greeting couplets, refer to couplets with a certain congratulatory nature in addition to holiday celebrations. According to its content and object, it can be divided into several subcategories, such as wedding couplets, birthday couplets, new house couplets (housewarming couplets) and so on. The outstanding feature of festive couplets is that they have a certain festive and congratulatory nature, and their contents must be good wishes, celebrations and auspiciousness. There are universal and special holiday couplets. Whether it is universal depends on the alliance, and it is not easy to copy, so as not to make jokes.

3. elegiac couplet: also known as elegiac couplet, it refers to the couplet used to mourn the dead. Its content is limited to mourning, remembering, evaluating and wishing the deceased, and its style is generally sad, solemn, deep and solemn. Others write elegiac couplets for the dead, or write elegiac couplets for themselves, which is another matter. The elegiac couplets can be divided from many angles, including old couplets, middle-aged couplets and youth couplets, as well as elder couplets, peer couplets and younger couplets. In addition, it can be divided into famous couplets and self-mourning couplets, and sacrificial couplets can also be regarded as a subclass of mourning couplets. The content of elegiac couplet generally refers to more specific objects, although there are also general objects and special objects, but in practice, we should pay more attention to the distinction.

4. Scenic couplets: refers to couplets posted, hung and carved at scenic spots. Most of its contents are engraved with scenic spots (such as landscapes and cultural relics). ) or closely related to it (related people, things, etc. Such couplets often become an important part of scenic spots and even history and culture. The combination of scenic spots and historical sites can be divided into several sub-categories, such as landscape gardens, temples and temples, pavilions, houses and halls, monuments and tombs, etc.

5. Industry couplets: refers to couplets whose contents are aimed at a certain industry, department or field. Due to the changes of the times, the application of couplets in the industry is not as good as before, but it is still considerable. Judging from its scope of application and content characteristics, it is still a major category of couplets. Trade associations can be subdivided according to industries and departments.

6. Inscription of couplets: refers to couplets inscribed to others. Although many couplets have been given a certain title, the title couplets mentioned here are limited to interpersonal (or yearning) works, excluding elegiac couplets and congratulatory couplets. Its content generally has a certain nature of praise, wishes and encouragement. From the perspective of the application of couplets, title couplets can be regarded as a big category. According to the different objects of the questions, the questions can generally be divided into several small categories, such as questions, questions, and questions.

7. Miscellaneous couplets: refers to couplets with a wide range of contents without specific objects. This kind of couplets often have simple literary creation characteristics, such as philosophical couplets, lyric couplets, persuasion couplets and so on.

8. Academic couplets: refers to couplets with certain academic nature. This academic nature refers to the specialty that does not belong to the above categories in content and use. Its content is often specialized, with certain disciplinary or religious characteristics, such as popular science association, Buddhist association, Taoist association and so on. From the application scope and development space of couplets, it is necessary to regard academic couplets as a separate category. For example, in the book "A Collection of Touching Smells-1200 Buddhist Couplets" written by the author, many Buddhist figures and Buddhist teachings are systematically written into an academic monograph in the form of couplets. By extension, many scientific knowledge or other learning principles can also be written as couplets, highlighting its academic or professional nature in content.

9. Funny couplets: refer to couplets that highlight interest or skills and pay relatively little attention to content. For example, various humorous associations and skill associations. The content of this kind of couplets either highlights the uniqueness of a certain style (humorous couplets) or is relatively unimportant (technical couplets), making it unique. In this sense, it can be regarded as a single category.

Of course, there is no absolute boundary between the above nine kinds of couplets. But in general, these nine kinds of couplets are divided into simple and clear types, with clear concepts in connotation and basically covering all couplets in extension, and basically not overlapping each other. In the above classification of couplets, the author has a relatively strict definition of each type, and explains the overlapping parts of different types, trying to exclude them. So they are "basically not coincident".

For the above humble opinions, please contact the boundary tutor!

Judging from the content reflected and the occasions used, couplets can be divided into:

Spring Festival couplets:

The couplets specially posted on New Year's Day and Spring Festival are called Spring Festival couplets because of their strong timeliness.

Such as: Vientiane renewal, reunification and rejuvenation

Couplets:

In order to express a certain desire or meet the needs of decoration, couplets used to be engraved on official posts, houses, temples and gardens, or on wooden boards or on wall stones, collectively called couplets.

For example, 1979, the "Yue Temple" in Hangzhou was renovated. Zhao Puchu, a well-known contemporary poet and calligrapher, changed the meaning of Yue Fei's "full of river red" and wrote a magnificent new couplet for the big columns on both sides of the reconstructed Yue Fei statue: I hope the weather will be beautiful, inspire people's souls, revitalize the temple today, reopen the ancient cypress and look up to Chihiro.

Marriage alliance:

Couplets specially selected or written on the wedding day can express a warm atmosphere.

Such as: skillfully using flowers and moonlight to make autumn nights and spring nights.

Elegance:

In order to evaluate the life achievements of ancestors and express the sincere nostalgia of future generations, couplets are used at memorial services or commemorative meetings.

For example, an elegy in memory of the beloved Premier Zhou: After painstaking efforts, the revolutionary cause of veteran cadres, like the towering Mount Tai, shocked the world, and the ashes were scattered all over the kindness of the Prime Minister, like drops of rain and dew, nourishing people's hearts.

First couplet:

When the elderly celebrate their birthdays, children often carefully write some auspicious words, stick them on the door or hang them in the hall to express their blessings to their elders. Such couplets are called birthday couplets.

Happy as the East China Sea, longevity is better than Nanshan.