Red envelope

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For the film production/distribution company, see Red Envelope Entertainment. For the cabaret, see Red Envelope Club.
Red envelope

Assorted examples of contemporary red envelopes
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese 红包
Traditional Chinese 紅包
Literal meaning red package
Alternative Chinese name
Chinese 利是 or 利事
Literal meaning good for business
Burmese name
Burmese an-pao
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese lì xì
phong bao mừng tuổi
Korean name
Hangul 세뱃돈
Hanja 歲拜돈
Japanese name
Kanji お年玉袋
祝儀袋

In Chinese and other Asian societies, a red envelope or red packet is a monetary gift which is given during holidays or special occasions such as weddings, the birth of a baby or graduation. In addition to China, similar customs exist in Japan, Korea and many other countries where a sizeable ethnic Chinese population is present.

Usage

Red envelopes are gifts presented at social and family gatherings such as 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 act of requesting for red packets is normally called tao hongbao (Chinese: 討紅包; pinyin: tǎo hóngbāo) or yao lishi (Chinese: 要利是; pinyin: yào lì shì), and in the south of China, lai see (Chinese: 逗利是; pinyin: dòu lì shì; Cantonese Yale: dau6 lei6 si6). Red envelopes are usually given out by married couples to single people, especially to children or work colleagues.

The amount of money contained in the envelope usually ends with an even digit, in accordance with Chinese beliefs; odd-numbered money gifts are traditionally associated with funerals. Still in some regions of China and in its diaspora community, odd-numbers are favored for weddings because they are difficult to divide. There is also a widespread tradition that money should not be given in fours, or the number four should not appear in the amount, such as in 40, 400 and 444, as the pronunciation of the word "four" resembles that of the word "death" and thus signifies bad luck for many Chinese (See Numbers in Chinese culture).

At weddings, the amount offered is usually intended to cover the cost of the attendees as well as signify goodwill to the newlyweds, with appropriate amounts of 288 RMB (pair + double joy) and 388 RMB (birth + double joy).

During the Chinese New Year, mainly in Southern China, red envelopes are typically given by the married to the unmarried, most of whom are children. The amount of money is usually notes to avoid heavy coins and to make it difficult to judge the amount inside before opening. It is traditional to put brand new notes inside red envelopes and also to avoid opening the envelopes in front of the relatives out of courtesy.

Red envelopes are also used to deliver payment for favorable service to lion dance performers, religious practitioners, teachers and doctors.

Origin

In China, during the Qin Dynasty, the elderly would thread coins with a red string. The money was referred to as "money warding off evil spirits" (Chinese: 壓祟錢; pinyin: yāsuì qián) and was believed to protect the person of younger generation from sickness and death.[citation needed] The yasui qian was replaced by red envelopes when printing presses became more common and is now found written using the homophone for suì that means "old age" instead of "evil spirits" thus, "money warding off old age" (Chinese: 壓歲錢; pinyin: yāsuì qián). Red envelopes continue to be referred to by such names today.

Other customs

Other similar traditions also exist in other countries in Asia. In Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma) and Cambodia, the Chinese diaspora and immigrants have introduced the culture of red envelopes. In Vietnam, red envelopes are lucky money and are typically given to children.

In Korea and Japan, a monetary gift called is given to children by their relatives during the new year period. In Japan, however, white envelopes are used instead or red, with the name of the receiver written on its obverse. A similar practice, Shūgi-bukuro, is observed for Japanese weddings, but the envelope is folded rather than sealed, and decorated with an elaborate bow.

In the Philippines, Chinese Filipinos exchange red envelopes during the Chinese New Year. For non-Chinese Filipinos, the red envelope is an easily recognisable symbol of the Lunar New Year. Some Filipinos have appropriated this custom for other occasions such as birthdays, and more specifically, in giving the aguinaldo during Christmas.

Green Envelope

Main article: Green envelope

Malay Muslims in Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and Singapore have adapted the Chinese custom of handing out monetary gifts in envelopes as part of their Eid al-Fitr[citation needed] (Malay: Hari Raya Aidilfitri) celebrations, but instead of red packets, green envelopes are used. Customarily a family will have (usually small) amounts of money in green envelopes ready for visitors, and may send them to friends and family unable to visit. Green is used for its traditional association with Islam, and the adaptation of the red envelope is based on the Muslim custom of sadaqah, or voluntary charity. While present in the Qur'an, sadaqah is much less formally established than the sometimes similar practice of zakat, and in many cultures this takes a form closer to gift-giving and generosity among friends than charity in the strict sense, i.e. no attempt is made to give more to guests "in need", nor is it as a religious obligation as Islamic charity is often viewed.

See also

Notes

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