![]() Sometimes, the guests may also be presented with a handkerchief. ► As a marker of a fresh beginning, the guests are also made to consume a piece of sweet candy before leaving for their respective homes. So, the distribution of red envelopes after funeral symbolizes the end of the period of mourning, and the beginning of a new start. ![]() ► Red, in Chinese culture, is the color of happiness. ![]() ► Once all this is done and the guests are about to leave, the family of the deceased distributes red envelopes among them. For the Chinese, the funeral rites are an important part, not only of their religious lives, but also social lives. People of today’s China value their age-old customs and traditions as much as they value advancements in technology and modernization. Even today, there are a plethora of funeral rites and etiquette that cultures across the world follow, and it is indeed interesting to know that some of these are ages old, owing to the antiquity of the culture itself.Ĭhina is, without doubt, one of the oldest surviving civilizations of the world. People have been following various funeral customs and practices from time immemorial, and we indeed have ample archaeological evidence to prove that certain patches of land served as cemeteries and that certain platforms were used particularly to carry out last rites on a person. Funeral rites differ from country to country and from culture to culture, but all of them are unanimously aimed at ensuring that the soul of the deceased enters the afterlife without any hurdle. The funeral or death ceremony is one of the most important rites of passage that virtually every human being has to go through. It’s expected that you’ll give red envelopes to your own children ($20 is common), to any unmarried children among your family and friends ($5-$10 is common), to your parents ($50-$100 is common) and to any friends or family you visit ($20 is common) during the Chinese New Year holiday.Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides. When you’re celebrating Chinese New Year among the family and friends in your neighborhood, be prepared with a fistful of red envelopes filled with money in varying amounts. Here is a guide to the most common occasions for giving and receiving Chinese red envelopes. And, optional, but $88 (8 rhymes with the word for good luck) and $99 (for longevity) are positive symbolic amounts. Avoid the number four because of its resemblance to the word meaning death. Regardless of the event, this basic red envelope etiquette applies: Choose new bills, don’t ever include coins and these days checks are OK. Though they’re unquestionably a symbol associated with Chinese New Year, birthdays and weddings, red envelopes are also given for graduations, the launches of new ventures and other special occasions. They’re commonly decorated with beautiful Chinese calligraphy and symbols conveying good luck and prosperity on the recipient. Count the relationships, not the dollars.Ī Chinese red envelope (known as lai see in Cantonese and hong bao in Mandarin) is simply an ornate red pocket of paper the size of an index card. In fact, after many rounds of giving and receiving red envelopes over the years, you’ll probably find that you end up netting even financially. ![]() It’s a gesture of goodwill, expressed through the exchange of red envelopes, that builds relationships among family and friends. The red envelope tradition is all about the reciprocity of giving and receiving. In this guide, I’ll cover when to give a red envelope, how to choose the right design and how much to give. Giving a red envelope filled with lucky money is a common way for the Chinese to show appreciation during important celebrations like Chinese New Year, birthdays and weddings. ![]()
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