Lushi lüshi refers a specific form of Classical Chinese poetry

Classical Chinese poetry

thumb|right|300px|Attributed to [[Han Gan]], Huiyebai , about 750CE .Classical Chinese poetry is that type of poetry that is the traditional Chinese poetry written in Classical Chinese. It is typified by certain traditional forms, or modes, and certain traditional genres...

 verse form. One of the most important poetry forms of Classical Chinese poetry, the lushi was an eight-line regulated verse

Regulated verse

Regulated verse, also known as Jintishi is a development within Classical Chinese poetry of the shi main formal type. Regulated verse is one of the most important of all Classical Chinese poetry types...

 form with lines made up of five, six, or seven characters; thus:

• Five-character eight-line regulated verse (wulu): a form of regulated verse with eight lines of five characters each.

• Six-character eight-line regulated verse is relatively rare.

• Seven-character eight-line regulated verse (qilu): a form of regulated verse with eight lines of seven characters each.

All lushi forms are rhymed on the even lines, with one rhyme being used throughout the poem. Also, and definitionally, the tonal profile of the poem is controlled (that is, "regulated").

Historical development

Although the idea of regulating the tonal pattern of poetry can be traced back to Shen Yue

Shen Yue

Shen Yue , courtesy name Xiuwen , was a poet, statesman, and historian born in Huzhou, Zhejiang. He served emperors under the Liu Song Dynasty, the Southern Qi Dynasty, and the Liang Dynasty....

, the lushi form did not reach its final codification until the seventh century.