Regular script of the Chinese character fu (blessing) from the Qing Dynasty (L); Spring couplets from the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

Hanging spring couplets and pasting door gods is a major custom during the Spring Festival. But in the Forbidden City, with its many palaces and doors, that would require a great deal of labor.

The spring couplets in the royal court were mainly written by members of the Imperial Academy who were scholars of calligraphy. However, as there were many taboos in writing spring couplets, they could not showcase their talents entirely.