The couplet, also called Pillar Posters or Antithetical Couplet, is a pair of lines of poetry that are usually rhymed. It is a derivative ofChinese charactersand literature and is unique in the Chinese culture. It's an art related to both the Chinese language and Chinese characters. The couplet art is one of the shining gems of the vast Chinese culture.
A Brief Introduction to the couplet
A couplet comprises of two lines written on vertical strips of redpaperin the best calligraphic style one can master. The first (called upper) line is posted on the right side of the front door. The second (called lower) line is posted on the left side of the front door. In addition, a third horizontal piece may be posted across and on top of the door.
A couplet falls into three categories according to its functions -- for practical use, for decoration and for improvement of language skills.
Couplets for practical use include spring couplets, which are a pair of sayings that offer good wishes at the beginning of the New Year and usually painted on red paper and are pasted on walls close to each other, and couplets used in social interaction such as a marriage couplet, longevity couplet, greeting couplet and couplet.
Couplets for decoration, usually refer to two types -- indoor and outdoor. Both are posted on principal parts of architecture..
Couplets for the improvement of language skills vary a lot from one to another and one of their characteristics is that they should meet certain special requirement(s). This type of couplet includes proper noun couplets, cento and palindrome couplets.
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