In China, the New Year's red envelope (also known as New Year's money) is an extremely important traditional custom during the Spring Festival, which carries good wishes for good luck and good fortune in the new year. The distribution of New Year's red envelopes contains profound national culture and human ethics, and many of the particularities and taboos in it reflect people's yearning for a better life and the maintenance of harmonious interpersonal relationships. So how to send New Year's red envelopes, what are the taboos and traditions, many people don't know, let's find out together.
1. The traditional origin and cultural connotation of New Year's red envelopes
The custom of red envelopes can be traced back to the Han Dynasty, when people wore copper coins with red thread and gave them to children to ward off evil spirits. The New Year's red envelope is not only a material gift, but also an emotional sustenance of care and expectation, implying peace and health, academic progress and career success.
2. Pay attention to the distribution method and amount of New Year's red envelopes
1.Eligibility:Usually, New Year's red envelopes are given by elders to juniors, or parents to children, as a way to convey their love and expectations. In addition, there is also the custom of giving gifts to each other among friends and family, especially for young people who are not married, and this kind of giving is more focused on sharing joy and blessings.
2.Amount Selection:In Chinese culture, numbers often carry a specific meaning. For example, "6" represents 66 Shun, "8" symbolizes wealth, and "9" means longevity.
At the same time, avoid including numbers that are unlucky with homophony, such as "4", as it is pronounced close to "death" in Mandarin and is considered inauspicious. In addition, even numbers are considered to be good things come in pairs, so most red envelope amounts will be even.
3.Red Envelope Encapsulation:The red envelope should be encapsulated in a new banknote, which means that everything will be renewed and the financial fortune will be prosperous in the new year. Red should also be used for red envelopes, as red represents festivity and auspiciousness in Chinese culture.
3. Contraindications and precautions for the distribution of red envelopes in the New Year
1.Avoid unlucky amounts:As mentioned above, it is important to avoid numbers with unlucky meanings, especially 4 and 7, to avoid unnecessary misunderstanding or displeasure.
2.It is not advisable to empty red envelopes:According to traditional customs, red envelopes cannot be sent empty, which is a respect for the recipient, but also a respect for the New Year, which is full of sincerity and blessings.
3.Time & Occasion:Red packets should be given at appropriate times, such as Chinese New Year's Eve or the morning of New Year's Day, and should not be mentioned or given on mourning occasions such as funerals.
4.The principle of order and fairness between the young and the old:Within the family, when distributing red envelopes, it is necessary to pay attention to the respect and inferiority of the elders and young, ensure that the amount of red envelopes for each child is roughly the same, reflect fairness and justice, and avoid conflicts within the family due to the size of the red envelopes.
5.Comparison is prohibited:Despite the improvement of modern living conditions, the distribution of red envelopes should still follow the principle of doing what is within one's ability, and should not be blindly compared, so as not to deviate from the essence of blessings and family exchanges.
To sum up, the distribution of red envelopes for the New Year is an indispensable part of the Chinese New Year customs, which not only demonstrates the profound cultural heritage of the Chinese nation, but also shows the spiritual outlook of Chinese advocating harmony and pursuing auspiciousness through a series of exquisiteness and taboos.
While celebrating the festive season, passing on and observing these traditions and customs will not only make the New Year more flavorful, but also strengthen the emotional bonds between family members.