Classification
Two main categories of ci employed in Song Dynasty were xiǎolìng 小令 (the original form since Pre-Song) and màncí 慢詞 (starting after Liu Yong), depending on the song being either short and in fast tempo or long and in slow tempo. Later in Ming Dynasty and Qing Dyansties, the ci, or rather the cipai, are classified for the number of characters it dictates. It's called xiǎolìng 小令 if it's no more than 58 characters, zhōngdiào 中調 for 59-90, and chángdiào 長調 for over 90. If the ci appears in one stanza, it's called dāndiào 單調, mostly xiǎolìng written in Pre-Song era. The largest majority is shuāngdiào 雙調 with two stanzas or qüè 闋 in identical or nearly identical patterns. There also are rare cases of sāndié 三疊 and sìdié 四疊, for three and four qüè, respectively. In terms of style, ci can also be classified as either wǎnyuē 婉約 or háofàng 豪放.
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