Listen to this articlecíqǔ 词曲
Ci (Lyric) and Qu (Melody)
词（可以配乐歌唱的长短句诗体）和曲（可以配乐歌唱的韵文体）两种文学体式的并称，在《四库全书》列于集部最末（曲更是有类无目），这是因为在古人的文学观念中，以诗文为正统，认为诗文可以表现较为正式的内容，而词曲则仅被看作展示个人才情的末技。此外，“词曲”并称有时还用来指戏曲和说唱。
Ci (词 a form of poetry with long or short verses which can be set to music and sung) and qu (曲 a form of rhyming compositions which can be set to music and sung) are a combined appellation for two kinds of literary styles. In the Complete Library of the Four Branches of Literature, they are listed at the very end of the “Collections” section (Qu is a sub-genre and is not listed in the table of contents). This is because according to the literary views of ancient scholars, poetry and essays were the only accepted tradition to express important ideas. To write in the form of ci (lyric) and qu (melody) was only seen as a minor skill showing a person’s talent. Sometimes, the combined appellation ciqu also refers to traditional opera and genres of performances featuring speaking and singing.
引例 Citation：
◎词曲二体，在文章、技艺之间。厥品颇卑，作者弗贵，特才华之士，以绮语相高耳。（《四库全书总目提要·集部·词曲类》）
（词和曲这两种体式，在文章和才艺之间。它们的地位很低，创作者也不看重它们，只是有才华的人以华丽词句相互标榜罢了。）
Ci and qu are genres falling between essay and performing skills. They are not highly regarded, and even their authors do not prize them. They are no more than rhetoric with which people show off their literary talent to each other! (Complete Library of the Four Branches of Literature)
