There was a prodigy Cheng in Ming Dynasty, 10 became famous at the age of 0. Anhui Governor Luo Qi recommended him to the court. Li Xian, a great scholar, thinks highly of him and wants to recruit him as a son-in-law. One day, I invited Cheng home for dinner. During dinner, Li Xian pointed to the lotus root slices on the table and tentatively asked: Is lotus root because of lotus flowers?
This is a sentence from homophonic to pun. On the surface, lotus root can be formed because of lotus. While "Lian" is homophonic with "He" and "Lotus" is homophonic with "Lian" (spouse), which gives another meaning: What makes you want to marry yourself a good wife? Cheng heard from his speech that Li Xianting liked himself and knew that the bachelor's daughter was beautiful, intelligent and virtuous, so he boldly expressed his love in one sentence: plums are not needed if there are apricots.
It's also a homophonic pun. It seems that there is no need for sweet apricots with sour plums, which is also a metaphor in itself: with your daughter's "sweet apricots", who will find someone else's "sour plums"? His deeper meaning is: I am lucky (apricot) and don't need a matchmaker (plum), because I am favored by your old man and personally taken care of by my future husband. Li Xian saw that he was clever and liked him very much. Later he really gave him his daughter. It's simple. It's a couplet.
It's something you get by accident. If you are lucky, you don't need a matchmaker.
Couplets are one of the traditional cultures of the Han nationality. They are antithetical sentences written on paper and cloth or engraved on bamboo, wood and columns. The antithesis of couplets is neat and even, which is a unique cultural and artistic form of Chinese language. According to legend, couplets originated from Meng Changjun, the master of Shu after the Five Dynasties. Couplets are the traditional cultural treasures of Han nationality in China.
Couplets, also called couplets, are named after the pillars hung in halls and houses in ancient times. They are commonly known as even characters, couplets, couplets and doors. The name "couplets" began in the Ming Dynasty. It is a kind of dual literature, which originated in Fu Tao, and it is a national style that uses the characteristics of Chinese characters to write. Its wonderful combination with calligraphy has become a colorful artistic creation of the Chinese nation.