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The Formosan ancient tombs, according to the status of the burier, are roughly divided into three types: official tomb, gentry and tycoon tomb, and folk tomb. They can be also distinguished by pattern into the following: traditional forms, traditional compromising style, Chinese-Western fusion style, Western style, or Japanese style. Another discovery is explored by analyzing the couplet, as tomb construct reveals the economic power and the social status, the decoration and adornment are very common. However, words are after all a kind of decoration, implying poetic couplet is by no means a must for grand tomb. Throughout the survey and research, many tombs, despite with no poetic couplet carved, are ornamented with exquisite stone carvings and fine statues. The form and the pattern of the tomb couplet are resulted from the different vehicles as well. The official and gentry in Qing Dynasty are offered the right to erect “shih wang jhu” (石望柱, a stone column) by rank, this sort of vehicle is gigantic, a great chance for any poet to exert his/her talent in the long couplet. The more words the poetic couplet contains, the more denotation of the meaning would be. Later, the tomb couplet is mainly carved in other vehicles, such as “cyu shou jhu” (曲手柱, the columns in the wall surrounded the tombstone). The meaning requires fully explained due to the limitation of the words, showcasing refined and sophisticated convey. However, the poetic imagery is far much simple and plain. As for the content, the tomb couplet is divided into three aspects: feng shui, offspring-blessing and ancestor-celebrating. The standpoint of convey in the poetic couplet is the main reason for the variation in content. Natural aspect is the first, the second one is from the family perspective, and criticizing and valuing of the burier is the last one. On the other side, the content and the poet of the tomb couplet also hint the rise and fall in power as well as the social status of the family.
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