Lucky Year of the Sheep Small Couplets / Heaven Blesses Our Island, Freedom and Abundance / Zhai Yunsheng of the Qing Dynasty

Small Spring Couplets (Please note: these small couplets are indeed tiny! That's why they're called "small couplets.") "Heaven blesses our island, with freedom and abundance." The calligraphy is adapted from a rubbing of the "Stele for the Reconstruction of the East Sea God Temple" by Zhai Yunsheng. Allow us to briefly introduce the content of this stele inscription. The "Stele for the Reconstruction of the East Sea God Temple" is a stone stele erected during the Qing Dynasty, typical of the official records found when building bridges, paving roads, or renovating temples and constructing memorial archways. The calligraphy was penned by Zhai Yunsheng, a Jinshi (advanced scholar) from Ye County (from Shandong), renowned for his beautiful handwriting. The inscription begins by lamenting the dilapidated state of the East Sea God Temple, with its decaying pillars and beams, highlighting the urgent need for renovation. It then recounts notable miraculous events associated with the temple, emphasizing its importance (and thus, the justification for seeking funds for its repair). A significant miracle involved repelling the "barbarians" (an old translation for the British, i.e., England) who were covetously eyeing the territory. It is said that when the British barbarians intended to invade (breaking through the waves into the inner waters), "suddenly, a storm arose, and their wooden vessels were swept away by the wind." A fierce gale suddenly intensified, with towering waves tossing the ships about. "Both large and small barbarian ships dared not approach the shore, remaining anchored in the outer sea for five days." This prevented the barbarian invaders from landing and kept them stranded at sea. Onlookers on land witnessed the protection of the East Sea God Temple and marveled. "Spectators on the shore, numerous as a wall, all celebrated the divine power of the Sea God." Finally, the British barbarians, frightened, retreated, and the sea returned to its calm and tranquil state. The world then reverted to a state of prosperity, smooth trade, and abundance. "The barbarians fled afar, the great waters calmed, the bounty of fish and salt remained, and the passage of merchants was unimpeded." Considering how efficacious the Sea God Temple was, how could it not be renovated? Thus, a petition was submitted to the central government for funding. "Construction began in the fourth month of the Daoguang reign, year Guimao (1843), and was completed by the eleventh month," after which the East Sea God Temple was repaired. This is a brief summary of the entire inscription. Upon first reading, I was deeply captivated by the character "㠀" (which resembles a small mountain). The shape of a small mountain within "㠀" is so endearing; it had to be printed. I really wanted to print this character 🥹 However, "㠀" doesn't typically appear in Lunar New Year auspicious phrases, does it? What characters should I gather? Peaceful Island? Auspicious Island? Beautiful Island? After repeatedly contemplating and searching for the right words, I came across phrases related to protection and abundance. Then, a stroke of inspiration struck. I created the couplet: "Heaven blesses our 㠀，with freedom and abundance." Wanting to create something different for the Spring Festival, I boldly printed this. I hope you enjoy this pair of Spring couplets. Calligraphy: Zhai Yunsheng of the Qing Dynasty Quantity: 2 pieces Dimensions: Each piece 8 x 21 cm Paper: Eco-friendly red cardstock made in Taiwan Weight: 240 g/m2 heavy cardstock Printing: Letterpress Hot Foil Stamping Color: Matte Rose Gold Back: Blank on the back Lovingly crafted by Haomei Yi Ri Studio Printed in Taiwan - About Shipping After payment, it takes 1-2 business days to prepare and ship the order, excluding holidays. If you choose registered mail via post office, delivery will occur on the 2nd or 3rd day after shipment. If you choose convenience store pickup, your order will arrive at the designated store 48 hours after shipment. Please pay attention to SMS notifications from the logistics system.