Chinese Cultural Traditions: Dui Lian (Couplets)

Preface: Dui Lian (Couplets) are a treasure of traditional Chinese culture and a unique art form of the Chinese language with one character and one sound. As a custom, it has been passed down and spread among Chinese people and even among peoples who use the Chinese language and have cultural origins in Chinese characters around the world, expressing the good wishes of the Chinese working people to ward off evils and disasters, and to welcome auspiciousness and good fortune.

对Duì联lián ， 又yòu叫jiào对duì偶ǒu 、 门mén对duì 、 春chūn贴tiē等děng ， 是shì一yī种zhǒng写xiě在zài纸zhǐ 、 布bù上shàng或huò刻kè在zài竹zhú 、 木mù 、 柱zhù上shàng的de成chéng对duì语yǔ句jù 。

Dui Lian (Couplets), also known as dual-phrase, door couplets, spring couplets, etc., are paired sentences written on paper, cloth, or carved on bamboo, wood, or pillars.

它Tā注zhù重zhòng字zì数shù的de匹pǐ配pèi 、 音yīn调diào的de和hé谐xié以yǐ及jí结jié构gòu的de对duì应yìng 。

They emphasize the matching of word count, harmonic tone, and corresponding structure.

对Duì联lián的de起qǐ源yuán可kě以yǐ追zhuī溯sù到dào秦qín朝cháo ， 那nà时shí它tā被bèi称chēng为wéi桃táo符fú 。 而Ér有yǒu确què切qiè记jì载zǎi的de最zuì早zǎo对duì联lián ， 则zé出chū现xiàn在zài中zhōng国guó的de五wǔ代dài十shí国guó时shí期qī 。

The origin of couplets can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty, where they were called taofu. The earliest couplets with definite records appeared during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in China.

对Duì联lián最zuì核hé心xīn的de特tè点diǎn就jiù是shì “ 对duì仗zhàng ”。

The core characteristic of couplets is “duality”.

无Wú论lùn是shì口kǒu头tóu表biǎo达dá还hái是shì书shū面miàn记jì录lù ， 都dōu要yào遵zūn循xún对duì仗zhàng的de原yuán则zé 。

Whether expressed orally or written down, they must follow the principle of duality.

那Nà么me ， 对duì仗zhàng具jù体tǐ指zhǐ的de是shì什shén么me呢ne ？

So, what does duality specifically refer to?

一Yī般bān来lái说shuō ， 它tā要yāo求qiú字zì数shù相xiāng等děng 、 词cí性xìng相xiāng对duì 、 平píng仄zè协xié调tiáo 、 句jù法fǎ一yī致zhì 。

Generally speaking, it requires equal word count, corresponding parts of speech, coordinated tones, and consistent syntax.

其Qí中zhōng ， 字zì数shù相xiāng等děng和hé平píng仄zè协xié调tiáo是shì最zuì为wéi关guān键jiàn的de 。

Among them, equal word count and coordinated tones are the most crucial.

这Zhè里lǐ的de字zì数shù相xiāng等děng ， 并bìng不bù是shì指zhǐ英yīng语yǔ单dān词cí数shù量liàng的de相xiāng等děng ， 而ér是shì指zhǐ音yīn节jié的de相xiāng等děng 。

The equal word count here does not refer to the equality of English word numbers, but to the equality of syllables.

比Bǐ如rú ， 在zài英yīng语yǔ中zhōng ，“car” 和hé “jeep” 单dān词cí数shù量liàng相xiāng等děng ， 但dàn音yīn节jié不bù同tóng ；

For example, in English, “car” and “jeep” have an equal number of words, but different syllables;

而Ér在zài汉hàn语yǔ中zhōng ，“ 卡kǎ车chē ” 和hé “ 吉jí普pǔ ” 不bù仅jǐn单dān词cí数shù量liàng相xiāng等děng ， 音yīn节jié也yě相xiāng等děng 。

While in Chinese, “kache” (truck) and “jipu” (jeep) not only have an equal number of words, but also equal syllables.

这Zhè是shì因yīn为wèi汉hàn语yǔ是shì以yǐ单dān音yīn节jié为wéi基jī本běn单dān位wèi的de语yǔ言yán ， 音yīn节jié 、 语yǔ素sù 、 文wén字zì是shì紧jǐn密mì相xiāng连lián的de 。

This is because Chinese is a language with monosyllabic words as its basic unit, and syllables, morphemes, and characters are closely linked.

对Duì联lián由yóu上shàng联lián和hé下xià联lián组zǔ成chéng ， 文wén字zì长cháng短duǎn不bù一yī ， 短duǎn的de只zhǐ有yǒu一yī两liǎng个gè字zì ， 长cháng的de可kě达dá几jǐ百bǎi字zì 。

Couplets are composed of an upper couplet and a lower couplet, with varying lengths of text, ranging from just one or two characters for the short ones to several hundred characters for the long ones.

对Duì联lián的de形xíng式shì多duō样yàng ， 有yǒu正zhèng对duì 、 反fǎn对duì等děng 。

Couplets have various forms, such as positive couplets and negative couplets.

但Dàn无wú论lùn哪nǎ种zhǒng形xíng式shì ， 都dōu必bì须xū具jù备bèi以yǐ下xià特tè点diǎn ： 字zì数shù相xiāng等děng 、 断duàn句jù一yī致zhì ； 音yīn调diào和hé谐xié ； 词cí性xìng相xiāng对duì且qiě位wèi置zhì相xiāng同tóng ； 内nèi容róng相xiāng关guān且qiě上shàng下xià衔xián接jiē 。

Regardless of the form, they must possess the following characteristics: equal word count and consistent sentence breaks; harmonic tone; corresponding parts of speech and identical positions; related content and coherent upper and lower couplets.

与Yǔ对duì联lián紧jǐn密mì相xiāng连lián的de还hái有yǒu横héng批pī ， 它tā就jiù像xiàng对duì联lián的de标biāo题tí ， 也yě是shì对duì联lián的de中zhōng心xīn思sī想xiǎng 。

Closely related to couplets are horizontal inscriptions, which serve as the title and central idea of the couplets.

一Yī个gè好hǎo的de横héng批pī能néng起qǐ到dào锦jǐn上shàng添tiān花huā的de作zuò用yòng ， 使shǐ对duì联lián更gèng加jiā完wán整zhěng 。

A good horizontal inscription can enhance the couplets, making them more complete.

根Gēn据jù用yòng途tú的de不bù同tóng ， 对duì联lián可kě以yǐ分fēn为wéi多duō种zhǒng类lèi型xíng 。

Based on their purpose, couplets can be divided into various types.

比Bǐ如rú ， 春chūn节jié期qī间jiān专zhuān用yòng的de对duì联lián叫jiào “ 春chūn联lián ”；

For example, the couplets used during the Spring Festival are called “Spring Couplets”;

庆Qìng祝zhù寿shòu诞dàn 、 婚hūn嫁jià 、 乔qiáo迁qiān 、 生shēng子zǐ 、 开kāi业yè等děng喜xǐ庆qìng场chǎng合hé用yòng的de对duì联lián叫jiào “ 贺hè联lián ”；

The couplets used to celebrate happy occasions such as birthdays, weddings, moving into a new home, the birth of a child, and the opening of a business are called “Congratulations Couplets”;

哀Āi悼dào死sǐ者zhě用yòng的de对duì联lián叫jiào “ 挽wǎn联lián ”；

The couplets used to mourn the deceased are called “Mourning Couplets”;

而Ér刻kè在zài风fēng景jǐng名míng胜shèng处chù的de对duì联lián则zé被bèi称chēng为wéi “ 名míng胜shèng联lián ”。

While the couplets carved at scenic spots are called “Scenic Spot Couplets”.

按Àn照zhào传chuán统tǒng ， 张zhāng挂guà的de对duì联lián应yīng该gāi直zhí写xiě竖shù贴tiē ， 从cóng右yòu至zhì左zuǒ ， 由yóu上shàng而ér下xià ， 不bù能néng颠diān倒dǎo 。

According to tradition, the couplets that are hung up should be written vertically and posted from right to left, from top to bottom, and cannot be reversed.

通过阅读中国神话、民间故事、历史典故、人物传记学汉语，简单易学，中英对照，适合初学者！

Learning Chinese through reading Chinese mythology, folk stories, historical allusions, and biographies is easy to learn and bilingual, suitable for beginners!