As early as the Qin and Han Dynasties (about 2,000 years ago), it was a custom in ancient China to hang "Tao Fu" (peachwood charms) on both sides of the door during the New Year. Tao Fu consisted of two large wooden plaques made of peachwood, on which the names of two legendary deities, "Shen Tu" and "Yu Lei," were written. These deities were believed to ward off evil spirits and protect the household. This custom lasted for more than a thousand years.

During the Five Dynasties period, people began to replace the names of the deities with couplets written on the peachwood plaques. According to historical records, the earliest known couplet in China was written by Meng Chang, the ruler of Later Shu, in 964 AD. On New Year's Eve, he wrote the couplet "May the New Year bring surplus blessings; may the festive season herald eternal spring" on the door of his bedroom. This is considered the first Spring Festival couplet in Chinese history.

After the Song Dynasty, it became common among the general population to hang Spring Festival couplets during the New Year. Since the origin of spring couplets was closely related to Tao Fu, ancient people also referred to spring couplets as "Tao Fu."

During the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang strongly promoted the use of Spring Festival couplets. After establishing his capital in Jinling (modern-day Nanjing), he issued an order requiring officials, nobles, and common people to write couplets and paste them on their doors before New Year's Eve. Zhu Yuanzhang himself would dress in plain clothes and tour the city, visiting houses to enjoy the couplets for amusement. At that time, writing couplets became a popular and elegant activity among scholars, and the custom of creating Spring Festival couplets spread widely across society.

During the Qing Dynasty, especially under the reigns of emperors Qianlong, Jiaqing, and Daoguang, the tradition of writing couplets flourished, much like the popularity of regulated poetry during the Tang Dynasty. Many famous and widely admired couplets were created during this period, leaving a lasting cultural legacy.

Other Legends

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• The Tale of Dong Yong and the Seventh Fairy
• The Legend of Chinese New Year (1)
• The Legend of Chinese New Year (2)
• Why Do Families Paste Images of Generals Qin Qiong and Yuchi Jingde on Their Doors During the New Year?
• The Legend of the Golden Snake Lord