Chinese block scripts have evolved from pictorial symbols to creative shapes, including oracle bone inscriptions, ancient Chinese scripts, large seal scripts, small seal scripts, official scripts, cursive scripts, running scripts, and real scripts, and gradually evolved in the subsequent writing process. It incorporates the writer's concepts, thinking, and spirit, and inspires the aesthetic emotions of the aesthetic object. Xu Shen's "Shuowen Jiezi" of the Eastern Han Dynasty classified ancient calligraphy methods into six types, called "Six Books". That is, pictograms, referring to things, meanings, pictographs, notes, and borrowings. Hieroglyphics reproduce, record, and convey natural information like pictures. The beauty of this pictogram provides a broad space and unlimited prospects for the creation of exquisite calligraphy art. Especially the Chinese characters that contain auspicious meanings, the artistic forms they display are even more complex, varied and colorful. In the subsequent evolution process, Chinese character culture continued to absorb and accommodate religious cultures such as Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. It is this phenomenon of absorbing and compatible cultures that makes Chinese culture more extensive and profound. Ancient and modern calligraphers have used their incomparably rich imagination and creativity to create countless calligraphy works with the content of praying for good luck, which are profound and far-reaching, and have endless meaning. Among them, the word "Shou" has the most changes. Among Chinese characters, the word "Shou" is used most frequently, and it has been widely used since the beginning of Oracle Bone Inscriptions. It has auspicious meanings and various postures. Many literati used it to write the word "Shou" to express congratulations and praise for the longevity of human life. The longevity culture is the essence of our country's traditional culture. There are so many and beautiful ways of writing the word "Shou" that cannot be achieved by any kind of writing in the world. In the evolution of calligraphy, the character "Shou" has been conceptualized, patterned and artistically transformed, and has become an auspicious symbol that contains the meaning of hope and blessing, with extremely rich changes. The word "Shou" can be expressed in the form of all things in the universe, or it can be expressed in a variety of fonts, such as the picture of a hundred years of life.
The "Hundred Longevity Picture" has been widely praised as a rare treasure since the Song Dynasty. Especially during the Southern Song Dynasty, the workshop for rubbing and mounting the "Hundred Longevity Pictures" flourished for a long time. Imperial dignitaries, scholarly families, and common people are all proud to own a "Hundred Years of Life". Hanging it in the hall will suddenly bring glory to the door, and guests will rush to see it. In ancient times, merchants who traveled far or traveled in officialdom even regarded the "Hundred Years of Life" as a treasure to protect their wealth and safety.
The word "Shou" is a single-word noun, but it has a broad and profound meaning. It symbolizes the longevity of people, the eternal stability of the country, and the long-lasting existence of things. The word "Shou" means peace and beauty, which caters to human beings' expectations and best wishes. The word "longevity" expresses people's expectations, blessings and yearnings. The use of the complimentary meaning of the word "Shou" to attract good fortune and hope for a long life and good health has become a social custom agreed by ancestors of the Chinese nation for generations. Respecting the elders, being filial to the elders, and wishing and caring for the elders to live long is a theme that is very humane and humane in traditional Chinese culture. The magnetic field of Chinese longevity culture is huge, and the ethical norms it has formed are widely recognized by the Chinese people and are regarded as noble moral laws. The happiness and longevity of the elderly is an important symbol of the peace and harmony of the country, society and family. Chinese birthday celebration customs began in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and peaked in the Tang and Song Dynasties of China's feudal society. Emperor Ming of the Tang Dynasty, the romantic emperor, regarded his birthday as the "Holy Life Festival", setting a precedent for the whole country to celebrate the emperor's birthday. Since then, all emperors Everyone has their own "Shengshou Festival". By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the significance of birthday celebration rituals exceeded the original motivation of praying for longevity and good luck, and satisfied people's needs for enjoyment, entertainment and showing off, so the scale became larger and larger. In modern times, with the improvement of scientific, cultural and medical standards, people no longer naively hope to pray for longevity through birthday wishes, but use modern scientific methods to exercise, prolong life, and the custom of birthday wishes has become a Daily activities that harmonize interpersonal relationships and add entertainment atmosphere. With the progress of the times and changes in concepts, the ways of celebrating birthdays are also constantly changing. In the past, juniors would kowtow to the elderly when wishing birthdays, but now they often use three bows instead. In the past, birthday parties were held at home, but now urban and rural residents often hold birthday banquets in restaurants. In the past, birthday wishes were usually done by families, but now social groups and government departments also wish birthdays to the elderly.