How to distinguish between flat and oblique sounds in couplets

The ancients had a distinction between flat and oblique tones. Simply put, one or two tones in Hanyu Pinyin are flat, and three or four tones are oblique. It can be judged according to the pronunciation of the last word of the couplet, the first couplet is oblique tone, the second couplet is flat tone.

Couplets should pay attention to the sound of the relative, according to the last word of the judgment of the couplet to distinguish between oblique tone, the upper line is oblique tone, the lower line for the flat tone, which is mainly for the sake of rhyme and rhythm harmony, pleasant to the ear.

For example, "A thousand good things are good every year, and a hundred good things are good" is the first line of the first couplet, and the second line of the second couplet is the second couplet! P.S. Ping and oblique is a term used in poetic meter: poets divide the four tones into two categories: flat is the level tone, and oblique is the three tones that go up and in.

Origin of Ping and Oblique

I. Ping and Oblique in Ancient Chinese

The tones of ancient Chinese are divided into four tones: flat, up (shǎng), go, and in. "Ping" refers to the flat tone of the four tones; "仄" refers to the oblique tone of the four tones, including 上, 去, and 入.

Traditionally

Traditionally, the Ming Dynasty's "Jade Keys" said: "The flat sound of the road is not low, the upper sound of the high call is fierce and strong, and the going sound of the road is distinctly sad and far away, and the entering sound of the collection is short and sharp". Simply put, the key to distinguishing between flat and oblique is "not flat is oblique".