Wang Guangbin, a resident in Ninghai county, Ningbo, writes Spring Festival couplets at home on Jan 13. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]

Wang Guangbin, a resident in Ninghai county, Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province, is currently busy writing Spring Festival couplets as Chinese New Year gifts for villagers, which he has done for 18 years.

"I've been writing them since Jan 1 but they are still in short supply," said Wang, "My Spring Festival couplets are popular among villagers."

The 77-year-old man, who was a mason, is a Chinese calligraphy enthusiast. However, he only began to learn calligraphy when he was 60 years old after attending a college for seniors. Eager to use what he had learned in daily life, Wang decided to write Spring Festival couplets for villagers.

Each year, Wang sends more than 1,000 Spring Festival couplets to local villagers. Over the past 18 years, he has used more than two metric tons of paper for writing the couplets.

In addition, Wang writes couplets as gifts for his neighbors to celebrate important occasions, such as birthdays, weddings, and housewarmings.

"I enjoy myself when writing couplets and I can also share this happiness with others," Wang added.