Complete Collection of Chinese Couplets

Author: Zhang Jialin, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-12-01
Features:
Couplets, known as such, require not only parallelism but also the essence of "linkage." Without connection between the upper and lower couplets, they cannot be considered symmetrical. If the upper and lower couplets are unrelated subjects that fail to reflect, connect, or resonate with each other, it results in a failed piece. Couplets possess strong expressive power, which is not only related to the characteristics of the Chinese language and script but more importantly, lies in the author's ability to highly condense and refine the couplets, making them more concise than allegorical prose or parallel prose, yet more flexible than poetry, lyrics, or quatrains. A well-crafted couplet often opens one's mind, allowing one to grasp the philosophy and truth of life from it. As a category of art, couplets serve multiple purposes. With just a few words, they can summarize the history, figures, scenery, and legends of a place and time, harmonizing with the landscape and historical sites to achieve a perfect match. During the Song Dynasty, pasting couplets on doors had become a common custom, and today, this tradition continues to grow. To meet the needs of the general public, the editors meticulously compiled the book "Complete Collection of Chinese Couplets." This book is divided into ten chapters, respectively introducing couplet knowledge, Spring Festival couplets, industry couplets, festival couplets, residential couplets, wedding couplets, birthday couplets, celebratory couplets, mourning couplets, and scenic spot couplets. The content of this book is relatively comprehensive and representative, reflecting the basic characteristics of Chinese couplets as a whole.