Calligraphy

Papers such as these are pasted at either side of the main house door at new year, with inscriptions appropriate to the desires of household members. They represent a general wish for good fortune in the household.

New Year; household

Characters in a read 'within the family filial piety'; in b read 'heaven and earth create a precious book of poems'.

Pair of elongated rectangular papers, right side is orange with irregular gold flecks. Strip 3 cm. wide is left white on one end. Each has 7 black Chinese characters written vertically, each approximately 10 cm. long, written with brush in black ink. Reverse writting in pencil may indicate meaning of characters, part (a), "family filial piety"; part (b), 'heaven and earth creat??e most precious book of poems".