Spring Festival couplets flank gate on Nanjing city wall

Spring Festival couplets were unveiled at the Zhonghuamen Gate, part of the ancient city wall of Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province, Jan 24, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

Fifteen meter-long Spring Festival couplets were put up at the Zhonghuamen Gate of Nanjing's city wall. It's the first time that the 650-year-old city wall built during the Ming Dynasty was dressed with couplets. During the next few days, more couplets will be placed on the wall at the remaining eight gates in a way that will not damage the ancient walls.

Raising the couplets is a move to embrace the upcoming Year of the Monkey and to campaign for the city wall's application for world cultural heritage designation.

Nanjing's city wall is the world's longest and best preserved. It was first constructed in 1366 and completed in 1393. Today, the remaining Nanjing city wall totals 25 kilometers. The city wall was listed as a tentative member applying for designation as a world cultural heritage site in November 2012.