BILINGUAL VIDEO丨9 things you may not know about Spring Festival, Episode II
双语视频丨涨知识！春节不一YOUNG②
Click on the video above
Today, we will continue our topic 9 Things You may Not Know about Spring Festival.
今天我们继续上一期的话题，一起来聊一聊关于春节你不知道的“冷知识”。
Earliest Spring Festival couplets were not written on paper
春联以前不是写在纸上
The earliest Spring Festival couplets or scrolls in China were also pasted on doors, but not written on paper. Meng Chang (919-965), the last emperor of the Later Shu Dynasty (934-966), invented couplets. In ancient times, peach wood was usually believed to have functions of warding off evil spirits. Meng Chang inscribed an inspiring couplet on a peach slat. So, the earliest Spring Festival couplets were also called "peach wood charms".
春联又叫门对，春贴，最早的春联虽然也贴在门上，但并不是用纸做的。五代十国的后蜀末代皇帝孟昶研制出了春联，因为古代人们认为桃木有辟邪的功效，他就在桃木上写下了“新年纳余庆 嘉节号长春”的第一幅春联，因为是用桃木制作的，因此最早的春联也叫做“桃符”。
Not all the drawings of fu (blessing) should be pasted upside down
“福”字倒贴有讲究
Not all the drawings of fu (blessing) should be pasted invertedly, except the ones pasted on water tanks and dustbins, signifying that blessing has arrived and will not be slipped away when taking out water and garbage. An upside-down posting of fu on the front door is unnecessary and irreverent.
不是所有的“福”字都要倒贴，大门上的“福”字要正贴，才是迎福的意思，水缸、垃圾箱才要倒贴福字，是为了避讳在倒水和倒垃圾时把家里的福气倒走。
Covering your left hand with the right one
拜年抱拳有学问
For men, the traditional greeting was to cover the right hand with the left one, meaning peace and harmony. Covering one's left hand with the right one indicates giving an obituary notice or begging for mercy. However, for females, the traditional greeting was to cover left hand with the right.
男子拜年抱拳要“左抱右”，中国传统习惯尚左贬右，所以抱拳时要用左手抱右手，此谓“吉拜”；如果右手抱左手，则称为“哀拳”，是向别人报丧或求饶时使用的手势。女性抱拳则相反。（编译/赵汉青 出镜/杨佳欣 审校/陈行洁）
Related stories
相关报道
BILINGUAL VIDEO丨9 things you may not know about Spring Festival, Episode I