Kishōtenketsu (起承転結) describes the structure and development of classic Chinese, Korean and Japanese narratives. The structure originated in China and was called qǐchéngzhuǎnhé (起承轉合) and used in Chinese poetry as a four-line composition, such as Qijue. From there, it moved to Korea where it is called giseungjeongyeol (Hangul: 기승전결; Hanja: 起承轉結). Finally, the art style came to Japan, where it is referred to as kishōtengō (起承転合), from which the English word derives. Kishōtenketsu is sometimes described as a narrative structure devoid of conflict, particularly in opposition to Western narrative styles^{[citation needed]}.

In a study of this story structure in Taiwanese students versus a five-paragraph essay, researchers found that the students familiar with this story structure were better able to pick out the main points of the essay, and the inverse was also true—US students could better pick out the main points of the essay when it was restructured to a five-paragraph essay, but not in qichengzhuanhe form. They hypothesized that the structure of the essay also organizes cognitive thought.^[1]

The origin of qichengzhuanhe is said to be maybe Li Bai from the Tang Dynasty, but this is refuted because this predates the time period from the first mention of this form.^[2] This view is backed by Wu Yingtian who cites a four-structure poetry type which included chin (hanbi), neck (Jingbi), belly (fubi) and behind (houbi) attributing it to Yang Zai.^[2]

However, it was firmly described by Fan Heng (1272–1330) as methods of doing poetry, divided into four styles: qi, cheng, zhuan, and he. Qi was described as straight.^[2] Cheng was described as a mortar, zhuan is change and he is supposed to be like a deep pond or overflowing river which helps one reflect on the meaning.^[2]

This means that the rhetorical style started out as poetry. This later influenced pianwen and guwento eventually create the baguwen aka the eight-legged essay.^[2]

However, after the baguwen lost favor with the fall of the Qing Dynasty, and due to its difficulty, a revival of the qichengzhuanhe form came back in popular education, relabeled now as kaiduan-fazhan-gaochao-jieju (beginning, development, climax, conclusion).^[2] Contrary to thought, the structure is not the same as the popular US and European-derived three-act structure.^[2]

For example, transitions can be anything from a sentence to a full paragraph which contrasts heavily to the five-paragraph essay where one sentence is encouraged for all transitions, rather than a full paragraph. One also can set up a call back to the beginning of the essay. The conclusion is said to need to be quick and one should not linger long on that part of the essay.^[2]

This form also was often used in both classical literature and contemporary plays such as Waves Washing the Sand.^[3]

There are variations of this dramatic structure based on region due to differences in how the Chinese characters are interpreted per the country and culture.

• Story structure
• Contrastive rhetoric
• Cross-cultural communication
• Jo-ha-kyū, contrasting 3-part structure
• Writing
• Yonkoma