春节3大习俗

The Red Packet, 红包 (Hong bao, ang pow) is a rectangle envelope used for holding

money as gifts during auspicious occasions. Red packets are usually red with auspicious characters, designs or symbols although gold colored red packets are also

popular. Some red packets are in different shades of red and even pink.

Use of Red Packets

The most visible use of red packets is during the Chinese New Year when elders give red packets to children or members of the younger generation. During the Lunar New Year, mainly in Southern China, red envelopes are typically given by the married to the unmarried, most of whom are children. (In the North, money is not given in envelopes.) The amount of money is usually a single note 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 packets are also used for other auspicious and social occasions such as weddings, birth of a new child, birthdays, house warming gift, promotions or as a thank you gesture. During these occasions, the red packet is given by the well wisher to the host. The amount of money used for each occasion depends on the relationship between the

giving and receiving parties, social standing as well as the context.

Art of \"Red Packeting\"

In any case, the amount of money given is always even number and amounts ending with 8 are very popular as the number 8 sounds like prosperity. Depending of the

currency base, the most popular amounts are 8, 18, 168, and 888. An amount that is usually avoided despite ending with eight is 38 especially during weddings as “3” and “8” when used together sometimes refers to an unpleasant

woman. An amount that ends or involves 4 is usually avoided as 4 in Mandarin and most Chinese dialects sounds like death. The worse amount to give in a red packet is 44. It is usual for guest to write their names or some words of good wishes on the reverse

side of the red packet to identify the party who gave the red packet.

Distribution of Red Packets

Red packets are in high demand during the Chinese New Year and many companies use this opportunity to offer a set of red packets to customers who buy their products

or patronize their services.

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Others prefer to buy specially designed red packets especially if it is used during non Chinese New Year events. These red packets are designed with their family names or

with the double happiness symbol for use during wedding. Giving red packets is a simple but highly flexible system to present a gift. This is especially true for celebrations outside of the Chinese New Year period. To many Chinese, it is considered rude to ask for specific gifts and if unsure of preferences and

tastes of the host, giving a gift of cash in a red packet overcomes these issues.

Red Packet art

As red packets are readily available especially during the Chinese New Year season,

they are often use to produce ornaments as New Year decorations. Spring Couplets

It is said that spring couplets originated from \"peach wood charms,\" door gods painted on wood charms in earlier times. During the Five Dynasties (907-960), the Emperor Meng Chang inscribed an inspired couplet on a peach slat, beginning a custom that gradually evolved into today's popular custom of displaying spring couplets.

On the Chinese New Year, families in China decorate their front doors with poetic couplets of calligraphy written with fragrant India ink, expressing the feeling of life's renewal and the return of spring. The content varies from house owners' wishes for a bright future to good luck for the New Year. Also, pictures of the god of doors and wealth will be posted on front doors to ward off evil spirits and welcome peace and abundance. The Chinese character \"fu\" (meaning blessing or happiness) is a must. The character put on paper can be pasted normally or upside down, for in Chinese the \"reversed fu\" is homophonic with \"fu comes\both being pronounced as \"fudaole.\" What's more, two big red lanterns can be raised on both sides of the front door. Red paper-cuttings can be seen on window glass and brightly colored New Year paintings with auspicious meanings may be put on the wall.

. 放鞭炮 Setting off Firecrackers

The firecracker is a unique product in China. In ancient China, the sound of burning bamboo tubes was used to scare away wild animals and evil spirits. With the invention of the gunpowder, “firecracker” is also called “鞭炮biānpào” (“炮” in Chinese means gun) and used to foster a joyful atmosphere. The first thing every Chinese household does is to set off firecrackers and fireworks, which are meant to bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new. In the past few years, such an activity was completely or partially forbidden in big cities including Beijing due to fire and personal casualty caused by burning firecrackers. As a replacement, some buy tapes with firecracker sounds to listen to, some break little balloons to get the sound

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too, while others buy firecracker handicrafts to hang in the living room. However, some Chinese thought that a Spring Festival without firecrackers was not lively enough and they burned firecrackers by stealth. So in recent years, the ban has been less severe. In some areas, people are allow to set off firecrackers during the Spring Festival.

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