Poetry to Decorate Your Door

This is a great Chinese cultural tradition: decorating your door at Chinese New Year with poetic couplets. This year we really got into it when we asked our Chinese teacher, John Mark, who was returning to his home village, to bring us back a custom made door couplet. His father does Chinese calligraphy, so this is as authentic as it gets. Take a look at the door to our apartment all done up in New Year's splendor. Also, that is John Mark's father actually painting the couplet. To paste these couplets on bright red paper by your door is an ancient tradition that brings luck and good wishes. Our couplet says: On top-Spring light spread around here; the left side says-Mountain green, water clean, place beautiful; the right says-People live long, this year blessed harvest, more happy things! That sounds good to me!