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| Red envelope | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Assorted examples of contemporary red envelopes | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese: | 紅包 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese: | 红包 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning: | red package | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese: | 利是 or 利事 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning: | profitable deed | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Vietnamese name | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Vietnamese: | lì xì | ||||||||||||||||||||
In Chinese society, a red envelope or red packet (Known as Hong Bao in Mandarin, Ang Pao in Hokkien and Lai See in Cantonese) is a monetary gift which is given during holidays or special occasions.
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Usage
Red envelopes are mainly presented at social and family gatherings such as Chinese weddings or on holidays such as the Chinese New Year. The red color of the envelope symbolizes good luck and is supposed to ward off evil spirits.
The amount of money contained in the envelope usually ends with an even digit, for instance 88, 168 are both lucky numbers, as odd numbered money gifts are traditionally associated with funerals. At weddings, the amount offered is usually intended to cover the cost of the attendees as well as a goodwill to the newly weds.
During Chinese New Year, mainly in South China, red envelopes (in the north, just money without any cover) are typically given to the unmarried by the married, regardless of age. Traditionally, the red envelope is not supposed to be opened until Chinese New Year is over; otherwise, bad luck would befall you for the whole year.
The amount of money in the red envelope is usually an even number according to Chinese beliefs. For example, the digit 4 should not appear in the amount, as it signifies bad luck for many Chinese.
Bribery
Red envelopes are also used in delivering bribes. While bribery is illegal in China, government employees and doctors receive red envelopes in exchange for favorable service. [1][2]
Origin
There are no clear literary sources from which to trace the origin of the red envelope tradition. In China, during the Qing Dynasty, the elderly would thread coins with a red string. The money was called yāsuì qián (traditional Chinese: 壓歲錢 压岁钱), meaning "money warding off evil spirits", and was believed to protect the elderly from sickness and death. The yāsuì qián was replaced by red envelopes when printing presses became more common after the establishment of the Republic of China in 1911. Red envelopes are also referred to as yāsuì qián.
Other customs
Similar customs also exist in other countries in Asia. In Vietnam, red envelopes are called lì xì, similar to the Cantonese pronunciation "lai see". In Thailand, they are known as ang pow (the pronunciation of the Chinese characters for "red envelope" in the Hokkien/Fukien dialect) or tae ea among the Chinese-Thai. In Myanmar (Burma), the Burmese Chinese refer to them as an-pao (Burmese: ).
In Japan, a monetary gift called otoshidama is given to children by their relatives during the New Year period. However, white envelopes are used instead, with the name of the receiver written on its obverse. A similar practice is observed for Japanese weddings, but the envelope is folded rather than sealed, and decorated with an elaborate bow. In the Philippines where a large number of Chinese Filipino population lives exchange An-poa and put money inside, and some exchange it with rice cakes especially in the Chinese New Year.
See also
Notes
