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Tone pattern

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Tone patterns are common constraints in classical Chinese poetry.

The four toneslevel (平), rising (上), departing (去), and entering (入) tones—of Middle Chinese are categorized into level (平) tones and oblique (仄) tones. All level tones are level. All other tones are oblique. If tone patterns are used in poetry, the pattern in which level and oblique tones occur in one line is often the inverse of a that of line next to it.