Yi yue cong ci 以樂從辭(lit., to compose the melody according to the lyrics), xuan ci pei yue 選辭配樂(lit., to select an existing lyrics to match an existing melody), and you yue ding ci 由樂定辭(lit., to write the lyrics according to the melody) are the three major creative modes of classical Chinese musical literature. Yi yue cong ci's mechanism is sheng yi yong, lü he sheng 聲依永, 律和聲(the sound relies on the singing, and pitch-pipes harmonize sound), while you yue ding ci's mechanism is the opposite yong yi sheng 永依聲(the singing relies on the sound). Xuan ci pei yue's mechanism features two methods of (1) cutting and piecing the lyrics and (2) matching a bstract sounds with lyrics. The Yuanshou 元狩and Yuanding 元鼎 eras of the Han dynasty (122-117 BCE)and the Kaiyuan 開元 and Tianbao 天寶 eras of the Tang dynasty (713-756 CE)are two critical times when the three creative modes of Chinese musical literature underwent changes that added subtle complications to the melody-lyrics relationship.

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