Abstract
The discussion on the difficulty of different poetic forms is a result of the deepening of stylistic criticism, with scholars holding diverse opinions. Since Yan Yu proposed a systematic ranking of the difficulty of various poetic forms, this debate persisted throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. However, influenced by internal shifts within the style school and motivated by the desire to elevate certain forms and articulate poetics, theorists in these periods often “took it out of context,” focusing exclusively on the notion that regulated verse is more challenging than archaic forms. The idea that seven-syllable verse is the most difficult to compose became widely accepted in literary circles. Additionally, this emphasis on the difficulty of seven-syllable verse also addressed the issue of its excessive proliferation, which had led to the creation of shallow, formulaic poetry. In response to the style school's preference for High Tang poetry and regulated verse, the trend of Song poetry began to rise from the mid-Ming dynasty onward, leading to changes in the poetic system, taste, techniques, and functions, which in turn elevated the status of archaic forms. As a result, arguments such as “archaic forms are more difficult than regulated verse” emerged, challenging the mainstream view that seven-syllable verse is the most difficult form. This seemingly straightforward debate on poetic creation actually reflects deeper connotations related to the evolution of poetics and the development of poetic forms.
Keywords
the style school, seven-syllable verse, elevation of poetic forms, archaic forms more difficult than regulated verse, trend of Song poetry
First Page
121
Last Page
130
Recommended Citation
Feng, Hao. 2025. "The Debate on “Seven-Syllable Verse as the Most Difficult Form” and Its Poetic Connotations in the Ming and Qing Dynasties." Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art 45, (2): pp.121-130. https://tsla.researchcommons.org/journal/vol45/iss2/12
