Complete Collection of Chinese Folk Custom and Etiquette Couplets

Author: Ma Yinchun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: In ancient times, the New Year did not have a consistent date. It was not until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 that the first day of the lunar calendar was changed to "Spring Festival," and the first day of the Gregorian calendar (also known as the "civil calendar") was called "New Year." In 1949, "New Year" was further renamed "New Year's Day."
II. Customs and Legends of the Traditional Spring Festival
After entering the twelfth lunar month, the weather turns cold, and farming work is relatively idle. People have more leisure time to engage in various festive activities, savoring the joy of the harvest and expressing gratitude to nature. During this time, markets are filled with New Year goods such as New Year prints, window paper-cuts, firecrackers, lanterns, face-paints, couplets, and festive food and supplies. People crowd the streets, with stalls lined up one after another, bustling with haggling and lively trade. Among the customs that have evolved over thousands of years, activities like welcoming gods and paying homage to heaven, which carry superstitious elements, have gradually been phased out with the improvement of people's cultural literacy. Other customs, such as pasting couplets, hanging New Year prints, and sticking paper-cuts, continue to this day, adding a rich festive atmosphere.
1. Pasting Couplets
Couplets, also known as "" (lianju), "" (mendui), or "" (duizi), are auspicious phrases pasted on doors or pillars during the Spring Festival. Composed of an upper couplet, a lower couplet, and a horizontal banner, they are a unique literary form created in China. Every Spring Festival, households paste couplets to celebrate. The bright red couplets express people's good wishes and adorn the scene with the vibrant colors of spring.
The origin of couplets can be traced back to "" (taofu). Initially, they were carvings of the gods "Shen Shu" and "Yu Lü" on peach wood, hung on doors to ward off evil spirits. Later, as carving was too time-consuming, wooden boards with drawings of the gods were used instead, called "" (taoban). Eventually, the practice simplified further, with only the names "Shen Shu" and "Yu Lü" written on the boards, which were then hung on doors—this became known as "" (taofu). This custom of hanging "taofu" during the Spring Festival persisted from the Warring States period to the Tang Dynasty. By the Five Dynasties period, couplets appeared on the taofu, replacing the original names of Shen Shu and Yu Lü. The renaming of taofu to "" (chunlian) and the practice of writing couplets on red paper both began in the Ming Dynasty. Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty was particularly fond of couplets, so he vigorously promoted them. As a result, pasting couplets during the Spring Festival became a tradition that has endured to this day.
2. Pasting New Year Prints
According to ancient Chinese customs, every Spring Festival, households meticulously decorate their homes. People paste new New Year prints on the walls inside their houses, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere. New Year prints are a unique form of painting in China, born alongside activities of celebrating spring, praying for good fortune, and warding off evil. The origin of New Year prints can be traced back to "" (menhua), sharing the same long history as taofu. The earliest form of menhua depicted door gods. The Jingchu Suishiji (A Record of the Jingchu Region's Festivals and Seasons) from the Southern Dynasties period records: "On the first day of the first lunar month, two gods were pasted on the left and right sides of the door. The left god was Shen Shu, and the right god was Yu Lü, commonly known as door gods." It is well-known that there are no ghosts in the world, but people's desire to pray for the safety and good fortune of their families through New Year prints is understandable.
3. Setting Off Firecrackers and Fireworks
During the Spring Festival, whether in bustling cities or remote villages, the sound of firecrackers "popping and cracking" echoes continuously, adding to the festive atmosphere. Firecrackers are also known as "" (baozhu), "" (baozhang),