![]() ![]() Now that we’ve got a firm grasp of the myths and stories surrounding the origins of the hongbao, it’s time to review the practical factors that should be considered when giving or receiving red envelopes. As 岁 suì (meaning “year” or “years”) and 祟 suì (the demon Sui’s name) are homonyms, this phrase is sometimes understood to mean “money for suppressing or deterring the demon Sui.” From that day on, the innocent people of the land used money-filled red envelopes to fend off evil spirits.Įven today, one way of referring to the money inside red envelopes that is given specifically to babies and young children is “yāsuìqián” (压岁钱). The combination of the copper coins and the lucky color red had done the trick (with a little help from the gods). The world’s first hongbao was supposedly used to scare away a demon named Sui. However, as he approached the boy’s bed, suddenly, from under the pillow, a hazy light began to radiate from the coins.Īs Sui came closer, the glow from the coins grew brighter and brighter until the rays pierced Sui’s eyes like knives! True to form, that night the fiend Sui slipped in under the door-eager to send yet another drowsing victim into a panic. Hoping this would be sufficient deterrent against Sui’s wiles, the family went to bed. However as the hours dragged on, it became clear that the little boy would not be able to make it through the night.ĭetermined to keep her son safe, the worried mother went to fetch 8 lucky copper coins (in fact, these 8 coins were none other than the gods of Chinese folklore : the 8 Immortals! But that’s a myth for another day.).Īfter slipping them into a red envelope, she slid them under her son’s pillow. To prevent this from occurring, one New Year’s Eve a particularly devoted set of parents determined to keep their beloved son up all night. Awaking with a start, the child would let out a terrorized scream and subsequently be inflicted with a demonic headache. There he would drag his wizened talons across their sleeping foreheads. Once inside, Sui would enter the bedroom of the house’s resident children. On New Year’s Eve, he would emerge from his lair, slipping into the houses of unsuspecting families. This demon preyed exclusively on children. One of the most popular myths surrounding the custom involves a demon named Sui (祟 suì). The origins of the practice of giving red envelopes on festivals and important life milestones is not entirely clear and, as with many elements of traditional Chinese culture, has multiple explanations. Hongbao are an important part of holiday celebrations in China and throughout much of Asia. Hongbao are frequently associated with Chinese New Year (春节 Chūnjié), China’s most significant holiday, which falls on a date calculated using the lunar calendar. Since at least the 10th century, red envelopes have held a unique place of ritual importance in Chinese culture. The word “hongbao” comes from the Chinese word 红包 (hóngbāo), which literally means “red bag.”įrequently referred to as “red envelopes” or “red packets” in English, these crimson paper pouches filled with money are ubiquitous across China-and even throughout much of Asia! Who gives and receives hongbao in China?.To learn more about how and for what purposes Amazon uses personal information (such as Amazon Store order history), please visit our Privacy Notice. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie Preferences, as described in the Cookie Notice. Click ‘Customise Cookies’ to decline these cookies, make more detailed choices, or learn more. Third parties use cookies for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalised ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. ![]() This includes using first- and third-party cookies, which store or access standard device information such as a unique identifier. If you agree, we’ll also use cookies to complement your shopping experience across the Amazon stores as described in our Cookie Notice. We also use these cookies to understand how customers use our services (for example, by measuring site visits) so we can make improvements. ![]() We use cookies and similar tools that are necessary to enable you to make purchases, to enhance your shopping experiences and to provide our services, as detailed in our Cookie Notice.
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