起承转合

起承转合 [qǐ chéng zhuǎn hé]

1. ■ introduction, elucidation of the theme, transition to another viewpoint and summing up -- the four steps in the composition of an essay; opening, developing, changing and concluding -- the four steps of Chinese regulated classic writing; the introduction, the elucidation (of the theme), the changing to another viewpoint and the summing up -- the four steps of writing an essay