Hello.I'm a Chinese college student and also a English leaner.
"一元复始山河美,万象更新锦绣春."
This sentence is vertical written couplet usually placed along either side of a doorway traditionally ,it's something like poem in Chinese language.
About the meaning:
I will divide the sentence and explain individually for you
1."一元复始"is a Chinese idiom ,it means : a new start of a year ,a new beginning
2."万象更新"is also a Chinese idiom,its original meaning is that all is fresh again,and here it almost express the same meaning with the first sentence:a new year with everying new
3."山河美"
"山“in Chinese means mountain ”河"means river "美"means nice,wonderful,good,pretty,beautiful... the original meaning of the sentence is "mountain and river is very wonderful.Here what it wants to express is Everying is wonderful and nice
4."锦绣春"
"锦绣“ its original meaning is delicate and gorgeous silk embroidery.But in modern Chinese language it usually means
something beautiful and fine .
"春" means spring
Summary :
"一元复始山河美,万象更新锦绣春."
the whole sentence is writen by a kind of Chinese rhetoric, i don't know how to say it in English . so i explain for you :The two sentence has similar meaning to express and they make up for each other.
Last,the whole sentence means : Everything is fresh and it's a
very good beginning and wish you in this new good year,everything is without a hitch .
It can be used to express your good wish to your friends or your family when in Chinese Spring Festival
That's all.:)