长的问题

[Alhazred]

I came accross this in a book I use but cannot make much out of it:

这是过去豆芽儿的小贩铁在家门口的对联，你会读吗？

（提示：“长”有两个读音：chang2和zhang3，此外，”长“过去通”常“。）

长 长长长长 长

长 长

长 长

长 长

长 长

长 长

长 长

So, that's something vegetable street vendors would stick on front doors (right?) and it has something to do with poly-pronunciation characters but I do not have the slightest clue what it could mean.

If anyone could shed some light on this, it would be most appreciated as this is very puzzling to me.

edit: it should be one horizontal row of four 长 and two vertical rows of seven 长 on each side but I am afraid I cannot format it properly, sorry.

[Veronica Zhong]

The correct way to read it should be:

chang2 zhang3 chang2 zhang3 chang2 chang2 zhang3;

常(rapid) 长(grow) 常(rapid) 长(grow) 常(rapid) 常(rapid) 长(grow)

Zhang3 chang2 zhang3 chang2 zhang3 zhang3 chang2;

长(grow) 长(longer) 长(grow) 长(longer) 长(grow) 长(grow) 长(longer)

Chang2 zhang3 zhang3 chang2

常(rapid) 长(grow) 长(grow) 长(longer)

[Alhazred]

Thanks.

[Quest]

I think there's more than one way to read it.....