Although most of our interviewees generally agree that the red envelope tradition is usually associated with a family dinner that takes place during the evening of the Lunar New Year, the individual customs associated with the giving and the receiving of the envelopes differ. The envelopes are usually handed out during the day of the Lunar New Year, and this is where the different traditions that currently take place differ. The red envelope money gifting is now a core component of the Lunar New Years celebration. Although many people have theories, no one can give a definitive answer as to how the red envelope tradition started and then evolved into the practices that are used today.Īlthough we don’t know how these traditions originated, we can observe the many different manifestations of the old tradition as they take place today. However, the hundred coins proved to be inconvenient to give out, and this tradition eventually evolved into the modern tradition of giving paper money in red envelopes. In their recollection of the red envelope tradition, the elders of a family traditionally gave the children one hundred coins weaved into the shape of a dragon. In addition, a Taiwanese government site states that the custom of the red envelopes dates back to the Quing dynasty, rather than the Sung Dynasty. To show their gratitude, the elders of the village presented the orphan with a red envelope filled with money.Īnother popular legend states that the red color of the envelopes stems from when people used to paste red-paper couplets on their doors in order to scare away Nien, a ferocious beast that eats people on New Years Eve. Although the greatest warriors of the time could not defeat this demon, the young orphan was able to kill the demon by using a magical saber. Michael Hanna, a writer of an advice centre regarding the etiquettes of the red envelope tradition, states that the red envelopes originated in the Sung Dynasty in China, when a young orphan defeated a huge demon terrorizing the village of Chain-Chieu. Although most people agree that the red envelope tradition is centuries old and, there is some debate over whether money has always been a part of the tradition, or whether the money became a part of the tradition at a later stage. The legends associated with the origins of the red envelopes vary, but most include a magical and evil entity that was defeated. The traditional red envelopes that hold the monetary gifts date back to the ancient tradition of celebrating the Lunar New Year in Chinese culture. The Chinese practice of giving money in red envelopes on the Lunar New Year is a prime example of something that has undergone such a change. In other instances, the practice itself may change while the reasons for the event remain the same. Photo taken by Jessica Oh, March 18, 2006īy Branden Black, David Levine, Jessica Oh, and Alex WeiĪs traditions are passed from generation to generation, the original meanings and reasons behind the practice are often lost or obscured by new adapted forms. Home | Introduction | Contact Us | Projects
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