Manchu Metrical Schemes

So far I have identified the following metrical schemes in Manchu:

Couplet schemes

Couplet poems are divided between fixed-length schemes and symmetrical couplet poems. The fixed-length schemes are those in which each line in the poem has four, five or seven syllables, while the symmetrical couplet poems are governed by the rule that the two lines of a couplet must have the same number of syllables, but that may be a different number from the other couplets in the poem.

So far, couplet poems that I have seen always have a rhyme scheme of x,A repeated for the duration of the poem, with a high likelihood that the first couplet is A,A.

Quatrain schemes

The basic stanza of a Manchu quatrain poem consists of four lines, usually of seven syllables each, with a rhyme scheme of A,A,x,A. I haven’t touched much on Sibe poetry in this blog, but some Sibe poems (like Hašigar ucun) are also organized into quatrains, but with head-rhyme schemes that usually fall into A,A,A,A or A,A,B,B.


-style schemes

Name

Metrical Scheme

Rhyme Scheme

Black-Naped Oriole
黃鶯兒
The last line of this scheme usually has a twist on the theme of the poem.

5,3,3,7,5,5,7,3,4—5


A,x,A,A,A,A,A,A,x—A


Matching Jade Bracelet
Prelude to Clear River
对玉環帶清江引

4,5,4,5,5,5,4,5,4,5,7,5,5,5,7



A,A,A,A,A,A,A,A,A,A,A,A,A,A,A



Wind in the Pines
風入松
The first half of this scheme is usually cheerful, the second half is often sorrowful, creating a poignant feel.

7,5,7,7,6,6-7,5,7,7,6,6


A,A,x,A,x,A. A,A,x,A,x,A


The Feeling of the Way
道情詞

3,3,3,3-7,7,7,7-73,4,3,4A,A,x,A-A,x,A,A-x,x,x,A
Drunk on the East Wind
沈醉東風

3,4,3,4,5,5,3,4,7,3,4x,A,x,A,x,A,x,A,A,x,A

Double-Tune Celebrating the Sacred Dynasty
双調賀聖朝
The ending lines of these poems are usually disparaging.

3,5,7,7,5-3,5,7,7,5x,A,x,A,A-x,A,x,A,A

One Part This and One Part That
一半兒調
These poems end with a pair of lines saying that the subject of the poem is “one part X and one part Y”

7,7,7,3,7A,A,A,A,A

Double-Tune Celebrating the Sacred Dynasty
双調賀聖朝
The ending lines of these poems are usually disparaging. In the Song on Begonia, this tune is called I Giyangna.

3,5,7,7,5-3,5,7,7,5x,A,x,A,A-x,A,x,A,A

Celebrating the Sacred Dynasty
賀聖朝

5,4,7,7,4-5,4,7,7,4A,A,A,x,A-A,A,A,x,A

Journey of Youth
少年遊

7,5,4,4,5-7,5,4,4,5A,A,x,x,A-x,A,x,x,A

Heavenly Spice
天香子

5,7,7,2,7,5,7,7,2,7A,A,x,A,A,A,A,x,A,x

The Immortal of Linjiang
臨江仙

7,6,7,5,5,-7,6,7,5,5x,A,x,A,A-x,A,x,A,A

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