Couplets are one of the traditional cultures of the Han nationality. They are antithetical sentences written on paper and cloth or engraved on bamboo, wood and columns. The antithesis of couplets is neat and even, which is a unique cultural and artistic form of Chinese language. According to legend, couplets originated from Meng Changjun, the master of Shu after the Five Dynasties. Couplets are the traditional cultural treasures of Han nationality in China.
Couplets, also called couplets, are named after the pillars hung in halls and houses in ancient times. They are commonly known as even characters, couplets, couplets and doors. The name "couplets" began in the Ming Dynasty. It is a kind of dual literature, which originated in Fu Tao, and it is a national style that uses the characteristics of Chinese characters to write. Its wonderful combination with calligraphy has become a colorful artistic creation of the Chinese nation.
The characteristics of couplets:
1, uniqueness and universality.
It is generally believed that couplets are the most unique literary form in China. What is unique about it? Mainly in structure and language. Couplets can be called "dual structure" style. Standard couplets always consist of two opposing parts. The former part is called "Lian", which is also called "sentence", "antithesis" and "antithesis". The latter part is called "bottom link", which is also called "antithesis", "antithesis" and "antithesis". These two parts are paired.
Only the upper part or the lower part can be regarded as semi-joint. Of course, many couplets, especially those written and hung, have horizontal comments in addition to the upper and lower couplets. Horizontal criticism is an organic part of this kind of couplets, which is often a summary, the finishing touch or compatible with couplets. Generally, it is four words, but also two, three, five and seven words.
From the linguistic point of view, the language of couplets is neither a verse language nor a prose language, but a special language that pursues antithesis and richness. The special way of "language and structure" of couplets depends entirely on the special nature of Chinese and its characters. The uniqueness of this "language and structure" makes the creation of couplets different from other literary forms in conception, conception, layout and writing.
With the same objective object and content, we always try to observe and describe things from two aspects and angles, and strive to "shape" the language into a binary and symmetrical structure.
2. Parasitism and tolerance.
The so-called parasitism refers to couplets developed from parallel prose in China's ancient ci and fu. In short, they are a pair of compound sentence, so they can be parasitic in various styles. Poetry, ci, qu, fu, parallel prose, even prose, drama, novel, all have no neat antithesis. On the other hand, couplets are extremely inclusive.
It can combine the characteristics of other styles, absorb the expressive techniques of other styles, especially long couplet and super-long couplet, and simply combine the achievements of Chinese stylistic techniques. For example, the refined meaning of poetry, the exaggeration of fu, the long tone of words, the significance of songs, the free and easy prose, the short rhyme of scriptures, etc., are all eclectic and innovative.
3. Practicality and artistry.
As mentioned earlier, couplets are a classical literary form of China, which is naturally literary and artistic. It embodies the artistic style of Chinese characters in China with unprecedented flexibility and perfection in poems, words and songs. The beauty of couplets lies in symmetry, contrast and unity of opposites.
In Song Dynasty, Hu Zai recorded it in Fu Zhai Man Lu, the last volume of Tiao Xi Yu Yin Cong Hua. Yan Shu once invited Wang Qi to dinner and said his last sentence: "I can't help spending it", but I hated it. Answer: "I have seen Yan before." Yan Shu was overjoyed and wrote this wonderful antithesis into the word Huanxisha. Yang Shen called this antithesis "a beautiful second language, a natural equivalent". This is the artistic charm of couplets.
The artistry of couplets can be summarized by a pair of couplets by contemporary scholar Mr. Bai: it is sincere and sincere to the non-trail, which can be satirized and sung, comparable to poetry and prose, just like a pearl reflecting Baoyu; Combining this grand view has a long history and is also interesting. It adds luster to halls, mountains and rivers and people, just like old trees and new flowers.
4. Fashion and elegance.
People often say that * * * appreciates the elegant customs of couplets, which is true. Imagine what other literary forms are as popular and popular as couplets, with literati above and obedient women below, who can enter the ivory tower and the people of Long Mu? What is this wonderful unity?
The reason is that couplets are a simple and complex, pure and rich art. As mentioned above, the rules of couplets are not complicated, especially the color and style of language, and there is no requirement for theme and content. They are generally short and pithy, and are widely used in social life. Unlike other literary forms, they have an elegant face, and they are easy to learn, understand, remember and write. As long as it is right, regardless of the vulgarity and elegance of the language, the size of the theme and the depth of thought, it will become a couplet.
But other literature is not inevitable. Poetry is elegant and connotative, such as "mountains and rivers are blurred, wells are dark, yellow dogs are white, and white dogs are swollen", which can only be called "doggerel". Most people are afraid to ask poetry for fear of writing limerick. And couplets, if written by every family and posted on holidays, are the most popular in literature. However, couplets are both vulgar and elegant.
The rules of couplets are simple and the form is pure, but they are profound and infinite in terms of Tao and art, short and meaningful, and the word is natural, which is beyond the reach of vulgar hands; The long giant is embroidered, just like an epic. Unless it is big, it can't be done. Those excellent places of interest reflect the mountains and rivers and shine forever; Those famous philosophical aphorisms are handed down to the world and will last forever; Isn't it elegant that those people with lofty ideals are generous and aboveboard?
Step 5 be serious.
Generally speaking, literature and art are serious, and people oppose the casual creative attitude of literature and language. But for couplets, the situation is different. Couplets are serious. For example, in the 27th year of Guangxu reign in Qing Dynasty (190 1), the door association of Yizhi Higher Girls' School in Pingyang, Zhejiang Province was "Zhi Min Ming Kai Fan; Learning leads women's rights to shine ",and its style is elegant and serious. At the end of Qing Dynasty, a man named Zhao Fan wrote a couplet in Wuhou Temple in Chengdu. This connection is serious. Li Anyun:
If you can attack his heart, you will be self-defeating. Since ancient times, knowing that soldiers are not good at fighting;
It is wrong to combine leniency with severity without judging the situation. You should think hard about governing Shu in the future.
This pair of couplets not only summarizes the characteristics of Zhuge Liang's use of troops in Sichuan, but also summarizes Zhuge Liang's general plan of governing Sichuan, thus putting forward his own political views of pros and cons, combining leniency with severity, peace with war, and being both civil and military. It is very philosophical and contains profound dialectics, which is thought-provoking. Compared with any excellent philosophical poem in history, it shows no weakness. Since its publication, the association has received rave reviews. What people value is the profundity and seriousness of this connection. When Mao Zedong visited Wuhou Temple on 1958, he read this couplet carefully and spoke highly of it.