词 poetry

[LyYenKhang]

Is there a place online where one can find some of the tonal patters of 词 poetry. Obviously there are a lot, but any information on the regulations of sharp and flat tones in the genre is appreciated. So far I've just found the same summaries, no real examples that would be of use to one who wishes to compose in the form.

[xiaocai]

I know there is a (very incomplete) list on wiki with examples. You may have a look.

[Daan]

Not online, but you may want to look into: http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Chinese-Poetry-Anthology/dp/0231139411

[Hofmann]

I have that book. I only remember seeing the tone pattern for one 詞.

[OneEye]

This is an example of what some of us mentioned in your previous thread when you asked if you should learn modern Chinese. Your best resources for this will be in Chinese, and the pickings in English will be slim indeed.

[LyYenKhang]

Thank you all, especially Xiao-Cai, for the replies. The Wikipedia list is actually very good.

@ Daan - I'm planning on buying that book, but not specifically with the goal of learning 詞.

@ OneEye - Indeed, I've come to realize the truth of that statement, and am working on modern Chinese now as well. However, for purposes of learning 詞, all that I really need to look for is the Sharp-Flat patterns! I've found excellent sites online with vast collections of poems, but hardly any with the tonal patterns behind them.

[Michaelyus]

Sharp-Flat patterns

平仄 is usually translated level/oblique or level/deflected in English.

I wonder whether it is a worthwhile exercise to derive the patterns from scratch.

[OneEye]

@ OneEye - Indeed, I've come to realize the truth of that statement, and am working on modern Chinese now as well. However, for purposes of learning 詞, all that I really need to look for is the Sharp-Flat patterns! I've found excellent sites online with vast collections of poems, but hardly any with the tonal patterns behind them.

What I meant was that you're probably going to need to use Chinese-language resources in order to find what you're looking for. Also, what Michaelyus said. Sharp and flat are musical terms.

[LyYenKhang]

I suppose the patterns could be derived from just looking at the poems and noting the tones of the each word. However, this method would be practically useless if one was using the modern Mandarin pronounciations and also would not give information on words where the tone can be either/or.

About the "sharp/flat" for 平仄. Sorry. That is my own translation, and one which I have seen in at least several books (in English) on the subject of tonal patterns in Vietnamese poetry (many of which are the same of various Chinese models...).