A man shops for couplets ahead of Chinese New Year in Singapore January 23, 2020. REUTERS/Feline Lim

People select couplets ahead of Chinese New Year in Yangon, Myanmar, February 4, 2019. Photo taken February 4, 2019. REUTERS/Ann Wang

People select couplets ahead of Chinese New Year in Yangon, Myanmar, February 4, 2019. Photo taken February 4, 2019. REUTERS/Ann Wang

A woman draws "Fai Chun", or Chinese New Year, couplets for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dog, at a market in Taipei, Taiwan February 12, 2018. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

A woman draws "Fai Chun" or Chinese New Year couplets for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dog, at a market in Taipei, Taiwan February 12, 2018. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Women walk past "Fai Chun", or Chinese New Year, couplets outside a stall ahead of Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dog, at market in Taipei, Taiwan February 12, 2018. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

A "Fai Chun" or traditional Chinese New Year decoration with couplet phrases for good luck, which reads, "Blessing" is seen behind a woman praying for her relatives who were inside a 17-storey apartment building which collapsed after an earthquake hit Tainan, southern Taiwan February 6, 2016. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Images of "Fai Chun" or Chinese New Year couplets, which read, "Wishing you wealth and prosperity" (3rd R) and "Progress in Year of the Goat" (2nd R), are shown on the facade of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Hong Kong February 12, 2015. The Chinese Lunar New Year on February 19 will welcome the Year of the Sheep (also known as the Year of the Goat or Ram). REUTERS/Bobby Yip (CHINA - Tags: SOCIETY)

A shopkeeper selling festive couplets waits for customers ahead of the Lunar New Year at Chinatown in Singapore January 24, 2014. The Lunar New Year which falls on January 31 marks the year of the horse. REUTERS/Edgar Su (SINGAPORE - Tags: SOCIETY)

The main door of Al Jazeera's China bureau office is pictured in Beijing May 8, 2012. Al Jazeera has closed the China bureau for its English channel after Chinese authorities refused to renew its correspondent's visa, marking the first such expulsion of an accredited foreign correspondent in over a decade. Melissa Chan had reported from Beijing for Al Jazeera's English language channel since 2007, as well as maintaining a Twitter feed with over 14,000 followers. The Chinese characters in the traditional couplet above the door reads: "Safety is blessing". REUTERS/Jason Lee (CHINA - Tags: POLITICS MEDIA BUSINESS)

ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE IS 10 OF 24 TO ACCOMPANY A PICTURE PACKAGE RELEASED AHEAD OF THE START OF THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON WHICH BEGINS JANUARY 23. PLEASE SEARCH KEYWORD 'BLACK WATER' TO SEE ALL IMAGES PXP900-923.

A dragon-designspring festival couplets are seen on a banner for the upcoming temple fair of the Chinese Lunar New Year at Longtan Park in Beijing, January 18, 2012. In the year of the Black Water Dragon, investors could get torched again if they leap back into the market too soon. But the outlook is expected to brighten considerably later in the year. In a world of economic turmoil that's scorched investors, it's tough to make predictions, but that's the forecast for Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index if one follows the principles of feng shui - the ancient Chinese art, or science, based on 'Qi', the natural flow of energy - according to brokerage CLSA. The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, begins on January 23 and marks the start of the Year of the Dragon. The Longtan Temple Fair will take place from January 22 to 29. The Chinese characters of the spring festival couplets reads, "Dragon Year Longtan, Accompanied by Happiness". Picture taken January 18, 2012. REUTERS/Soo Hoo Zheyang (CHINA - Tags: SOCIETY)

A vendor waits for customers at his stall selling couplets at a local market in Shenyang, Liaoning province January 13, 2012. The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, begins on January 23 and marks the start of the Year of the Dragon, according to the Chinese zodiac. REUTERS/Sheng Li (CHINA - Tags: SOCIETY BUSINESS)

Hong Kong Stock Exchange Chairman Ronald Arculli (R) and Chief Executive Charles Li carry a Chinese New Year couplet which reads "May money and treasure be plentiful" and "Ride on the crest of success" respectively during the first trading day of the Lunar New Year at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange February 7, 2011. REUTERS/Bobby Yip (CHINA - Tags: BUSINESS)

A cat looks through a makeshift gate with written couplets at a partially demolished neighbourhood in Beijing March 6, 2010. A few residents still live in their one-storey houses in the neighbourhood as they did not reach an agreement about compensation with the developer. Chinese banks are taking risks by lending against the collateral of land as land prices might fall, central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan said on Saturday. The Chinese character reads, "good fortune" (L) and "to have an enjoyable lunar new year with family" (R). REUTERS/Grace Liang (CHINA - Tags: BUSINESS POLITICS CONSTRUCTION)

Thai-Chinese calligrapher Meechai Sakulsittiporn, 75, writes Chinese New Year couplets in Bangkok February 11, 2010. The Chinese New Year falls on February 14 this year. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom (THAILAND - Tags: SOCIETY)

Thai-Chinese calligrapher Meechai Sakulsittiporn, 75, writes Chinese New Year couplets in Bangkok February 11, 2010. The Chinese New Year falls on February 14 this year. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom (THAILAND - Tags: SOCIETY)

A man walks past a doorway decorated with Chinese New Year couplets in Beijing February 8, 2008. The lunar "Year of the Rat" began on February 7 in China and will also be celebrated by as many as 35 million overseas Chinese in cities across the globe. REUTERS/Grace Liang (CHINA)

A man prepares to write Spring Festival calligraphy couplets for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year at a market in Kaohsiung January 25, 2008. Taiwan will usher in the Chinese Lunar New Year on February 7. According to the lunar calendar, 2008 is the "Year of the Rat". REUTERS/Pichi Chuang (TAIWAN)

A man prepares Spring Festival calligraphy couplets for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year at a market in Kaohsiung January 25, 2008. Taiwan will usher in the Chinese Lunar New Year on February 7. According to the lunar calendar, 2008 is the "Year of the Rat". REUTERS/Pichi Chuang (TAIWAN)

A Kashmiri worker, Ghulam Rasool (C), writes a Persian couplet on a gravestone as his father Abdul Ahad watches him outside their workshop at Kashmir's biggest graveyard in downtown Srinagar November 26, 2007. REUTERS/Fayaz Kabli (INDIAN-ADMINISTERED KASHMIR)

A Kashmiri worker, Ghulam Rasool, writes a Persian couplet on a gravestone at Kashmir's biggest graveyard in downtown Srinagar November 26, 2007. REUTERS/Fayaz Kabli (INDIAN-ADMINISTERED KASHMIR)

A woman selects Spring Festival couplets at a rural market in Qingyan town of Guiyang, capital of the Guizhou province in southwest China, February 14, 2007. The upcoming Lunar New Year will fall on February 18. REUTERS/Jason Lee (CHINA)

A vendor adjusts Spring Festival couplets at a rural market in Qingyan town of Guiyang, capital of the Guizhou province in southwest China, February 14, 2007. The upcoming Lunar New Year will fall on February 18. REUTERS/Jason Lee (CHINA)

A Taiwanese calligrapher writes Spring Festival couplets for the Lunar New Year holidays in Taipei's Dihua street January 29, 2006. Chinese all over the world will celebrate the Lunar New Year on January 29. REUTERS/Richard Chung

Chinese actress Liu Xiaoqing poses with a Spring Festival couplet wishing good luck in Taipei on February 2, 2002. Spring Festival couplets are pasted on gateposts or door panels to bring good luck.

SK/PB

A boy waves the book as he waits for the ink to dry on his traditional Chinese New Year red scrolls in Taipei January 20, 2001. Local calligraphic masters hands out free red scrolls with antithetical couplets wishing good luck written on them for the celebration of the Chinese New Year of the Snake which falls on January 24.

KW/JIR

People wait for the ink to dry on their traditional Chinese New Year red scrolls in Taipei January 20, 2001. Local calligraphic masters hand out free red scrolls with antithetical couplets wishing them good luck for the celebration of the Chinese New Year of the Snake which falls on January 24.

KW/PB

A Taiwanese boy and his sister look at a calligrapher writing on traditional Chinese New Year red scrolls in Taipei January 20, 2001. Local calligraphic masters handed out free red scrolls with antithetical couplets wishing good luck for the celebration of the Chinese New Year of the Snake which falls on January 24.

KW/PB

A trader arranges traditional Chinese New Year red scrolls and decorations in his stall in Taipei January 18, 2001. People in Taiwan paste red scrolls with antithetical couplets written on them, wishing good luck, for the celebration of the Chinese New Year of the Snake which falls on January 24.

KW/PB

Chinese perform a folk dance as traditional Chinese New Year red scrolls flutter in the breeze outside a temple in Beijing January 17, 2001. Local authorities were handing out free red scrolls with antithetical couplets wishing good luck written on them for celebration of the Chinese New Year of the Snake which falls on January 24.

CHINESE MOTHER AND HER DAUGHTER WAIT FOR THE INK TO DRY ON THEIR TRADITIONAL CHINESE NEW YEAR RED SCROLLS IN BEIJING.


A Chinese mother and her daughter wait for the ink to dry on their traditional Chinese New Year red scrolls in Beijing January 17, 2001. Local authorities were handing out free red scrolls with antithetical couplets wishing good luck written on them for the celebration of the Chinese New Year of the Snake which falls on January 24.

CHINESE PERFORM A FOLK DANCE AS TRADITIONAL CHINESE NEW YEAR RED SCROLLS FLUTTER IN THE BREEZE OUTSIDE A TEMPLE IN BEIJING.


Chinese perform a folk dance as traditional Chinese New Year red scrolls flutter in the breeze outside a temple in Beijing January 17, 2001. Local authorities were handing out free red scrolls with antithetical couplets wishing good luck written on them for celebration of the Chinese New Year of the Snake which falls on January 24.

A calligraphy teacher shows his students how to write Chinese new year couplets at a class in Taipei February 13. The traditional new year couplets, which have an auspicious context, are usually hung on the two sides of a door or the wall of a house during the lunar Chinese new year holiday, which begins as early as February 13 and ends as late as February 21. All ethnic Chinese in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China celebrate this important day, which falls on February 16 this year.

LC/JIR/WS

A calligraphy teacher watches one of his students write Chinese new year couplets at a class in Taipei February 13. The traditional new year couplets, which have an auspicious meaning, are usually hung on the two sides of a door or the wall of a house during the lunar Chinese new year holiday, which begins as early as February 13 and ends as late as February 21. All ethnic Chinese in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China celebrate this important day, which falls on February 16 this year.

LC/JIR/WS

Two Taiwanese men fan-dry "spring couplets" composed by calligraphers at Taipei's train station January 25, in preparation for Chinese lunar new year. In Chinese custom couplets, containing goodwill wishes, are hung from the walls of houses during the lunar new year. The couplets (front R) read: "When the earth warms, spring is coming" and "When the thunder lights the dragon rises".

TAIPEI