Every year, just before Chinese New Year, something remarkable happens across China. On door after door, bright red strips of paper appear, covered in elegant black or gold calligraphy. These are chunlian (春联) — Spring Festival couplets — and they are one of the most visible and cherished traditions of the Lunar New Year. Walk through any Chinese neighborhood in the days leading up to the festival, and you will see entire streets transformed by these poetic red banners.
A set of chunlian consists of three parts: two vertical strips pasted on either side of the doorframe (the right and left lines), and a shorter horizontal banner across the top. Together, they form a complete poetic couplet, expressing wishes for good fortune, health, happiness, and prosperity in the coming year.
The Origins of Spring Couplets
The tradition of posting couplets dates back over a thousand years, to the Five Dynasties period (907–960). According to historical records, the first chunlian was written by Meng Chang, emperor of the Later Shu kingdom, who inscribed a couplet on peachwood boards and placed them on his palace door. These early versions were not on red paper but carved into peachwood tablets, which were believed to ward off evil spirits — a practice rooted in even older folk traditions.
The word “peach” (桃, táo) has long been associated with protection in Chinese culture. Ancient Chinese hung peachwood charms over their doors to repel malevolent forces. Over centuries, the peachwood tablets evolved into paper couplets, but the protective meaning remained. By the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), the practice of posting red paper couplets had spread from the imperial court to common households, becoming the tradition we recognize today.
How Chunlian Are Written
A proper chunlian follows strict rules of structure and tone. Each line must have the same number of characters — typically five, seven, or nine. The tones of the characters must balance: the first line (right side, from the viewer’s perspective) uses even tones on certain characters, while the second line uses oblique tones in corresponding positions. The horizontal banner usually contains four characters that summarize the couplet’s theme.
For example, a classic chunlian reads:
Right: 爆竹声中辞旧岁 (In the sound of firecrackers, we bid farewell to the old year)
Left: 梅花香里报新春 (In the fragrance of plum blossoms, we welcome the new spring)
Top: 喜迎新春 (Joyfully Welcoming the New Spring)
The content should be auspicious and seasonal. Common themes include the arrival of spring, family reunion, career success, wealth, and health. References to the zodiac animal of the coming year are also popular.
The Social Ritual of Posting Chunlian
Posting chunlian is a family ritual. The couplets are applied on New Year’s Eve, after the house has been thoroughly cleaned (sweeping away the old year’s bad luck) and before the reunion dinner begins. In many families, the oldest family member reads the couplet aloud before pasting it, so the wishes are spoken as well as written.
The way the couplets are pasted matters too. The right-side line (first line) goes on the door’s right panel (viewer’s left), and the left-side line goes on the left panel. The horizontal banner goes above the door. In urban apartment buildings, where doors may be narrower, families sometimes paste a single large character 福 (fú — fortune) on the door instead, often upside down — because “upside down” (倒, dào) sounds like “arrived” (到, dào), so the upside-down fu means “fortune has arrived.”
Modern Chunlian: Tradition Meets Creativity
While the tradition is ancient, chunlian continue to evolve. In recent years, creative and humorous couplets have gained popularity, especially among younger Chinese. Some write couplets about everyday life — getting a promotion, passing exams, or even finding a boyfriend. Others incorporate internet slang or pop culture references. There are even chunlian for cats, dogs, and dorm rooms.
During Chinese New Year, calligraphy enthusiasts set up stalls in parks and markets, writing custom couplets for customers. The buyer chooses a theme, and the calligrapher composes a couplet on the spot, writing it with brush and ink on long strips of red paper. This tradition keeps the art of Chinese calligraphy alive while serving a practical, festive purpose.
For Chinese communities around the world, chunlian are a way to mark their homes as part of the celebration, no matter how far from China they live. A pair of red couplets on a front door in New York, London, or Sydney signals: this is a Chinese home, and we are celebrating the new year.
Whether written in classical verse or playful modern language, chunlian carry the spirit of Chinese New Year — hope, renewal, and the belief that words spoken and written with good intention can shape what lies ahead.
Learn More
If you enjoyed this article, you might like to read about The Character Fu: Luck, Blessing, and the Upside-Down Sign on Chinese Doors and Red Envelopes in Chinese Culture: Lucky Money, Etiquette, and Family Warmth.
