Double Happiness (calligraphy)

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Double happiness woven into a mat.

Double Happiness (simplified Chinese: 双喜; traditional Chinese: 雙喜; pinyin: shuāngxǐ; sometimes translated as Double Joy or Double Happy) is a Chinese ornamental design commonly used as a decoration. Outside of China, it is also used in Korea and Vietnam.

A shop window in Seattle decorated with a form of shuāngxǐ design

Characteristics

It is a ligature "囍" composed of 喜喜 – two copies of the Chinese characters 喜 (xǐ, 'joy'), compressed to assume the square shape of a standard Chinese character (much like a real character may consist of two parts), and is pronounced as a polysyllabic Chinese character, being read as 双喜 shuāngxǐ.

The shuāngxǐ motif is often modified in various ways, and frequently appears on decorative items associated with Chinese New Year celebrations and weddings, the latter of the two is often found all over the wedding ceremony, as well as on gift items given to the bride and groom. The color of the character is usually red, occasionally black.

In culture

Shuāngxǐ (or its alternative transcriptions, Shuang hsi or Shuang hi) is also used as a brand names for things like cigarettes, matches, or soy sauce. It is also featured as decoration on many items by Chinese luxury brand Shanghai Tang.

Hong Kong lifestyle retail store G.O.D. designs many products themed with the double happiness characters, including scented candles, accessories and Ming-inspired tableware and tea sets.[1][2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hong, Xinying (10 July 2012). "9 quirky finds at Goods of Desire". Her World Plus (Singapore Press Holdings). Retrieved 19 November 2012. 
  2. ↑ "G.O.D.: Tongue in cheek - Tongue-in-cheek designs inspired by Hong Kong culture". CNN Travel. 22 May 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2012. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shuang xi.
Look up 囍 in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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