Pair of Antique Black Lacquer Wooden Couplet Panels with Gilt Calligraphy Poem. Comes with old metal hangers. The long plaques are shaped slightly rounded as supposedly flat but they hang just fine. The signed calligraphy poem depicts a life philosophy, possibly from an owner of a studio or a large hall room, in that the calligrapher expresses an attitude of enjoying good scenery and good life while being creative in writing and reading to know the life's past and present. These plaques were refinished in clear lacquer over its old black lacquer and gilt writing.

Chinese couplet writing is a special genre of its own art and is significant for both Chinese literati and Chinese culture when it comes to home and architecture when auspicious meaning or life philosophy were expressed through seen writing in the most prominent way in daily life. The couplet are hung on the two sides of doors or separately and oppositely to each other in a larger room like a formal gathering hall or living room. The characters often correspond to each other in word-by-word or phrase-by-phrase manner and are important to form the whole meaning of the poem together. They are also often written rhythmically when read. One finds the life philosophy of the owner or the scholar, or the element of prosperity of the people who resided in the building.

Dimensions for each: 72" L x 12 1/4" W

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