2. About how to appreciate it for you:
1, the unity of uniqueness and universality.
It is generally believed that couplets are the most unique literary form in China. Its uniqueness is mainly manifested 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.
Many couplets, especially those written and hung, have horizontal comments in addition to the upper couplet and the lower couplet. 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 is full of musicality. The special "language structure" of couplets is completely determined by the special nature of Chinese and its characters. The uniqueness of this "language 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. Unity of 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, words, songs, fu, parallel prose, and even prose, drama and novels all have neat antitheses.
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. Unity of practicality and artistry.
As a form of Chinese classical literature, couplets are 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 written by Bai, a contemporary scholar:
For the non-trail, true and sincere, it can be satirized and sung, comparable to poetry and prose, 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. The unity of popularity and elegance.
No literary form rewards the elegance and vulgarity of couplets. Like couplets, they are scholars in the upper class and obedient children of women in the lower class. They can walk into the ivory tower and the people in Long Mu, including people from Chun Xue and the lower classes in Ba Li. The reason for this wonderful unity is that couplets are a simple and complex, pure and rich art.
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 widely used in social life. Different from other literary forms, they have an elegant face and 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.
Couplets are both vulgar and elegant. The rules of couplets are simple and the form is pure, but they are profound and endless in Taoism and art.
5. The unity of seriousness and playfulness.
Couplets have always been regarded as a pen and ink game by many people. Although it is biased, it also shows the characteristics of couplets as games. Because couplets pursue antithesis, it is natural that the more stable the better. This is not only a literary creation, but also contains elements of thinking the game and language games. If you simply develop the right job and skills, it will become a Chinese-style, ideological struggle. In fact, many game couplets are purely for recreation and wits. They are often written by various rhetorical devices and ingenious ideas with the help of the special situation of sound, form and meaning of Chinese characters.