Chinese Legends : The Red Packet

(Because this is a pretty straight forward article, there will not be a summary. Sorry, for the inconvenience.)

The Myth...

Traditionally, people will put a hundred coins in a packet, which means good fortune for a hundred years. Due to time past by, Chinese natives create more than one story to explain the Chinese legend of the red envelope. I will concentrate on the two most common stories in China.

The first legend is a myth.

There was a demon appearing in a village. The demon, every night has a tendency to touch the children's head, when they are asleep. Because of this reason some children became sick, and some actually died.

When Spring Festival came around, there was an older couple (around 50s) who just had a baby for the first time in the village. They were scared that demon will take their kid away. They prayed to the god. As result, eight fairies have heard their prayers.

Not to draw the demon's attention, eight fairies turned themselves into eight coins. The parents wanted to protect the child; they placed the eight coins into the infant's pillow (to protect the baby's head).

When the next night falls, the demon approached the child, but as it reached its hand out and about to touch the child. A red shinning light came out from the coins inside the pillow, so bright that it blocked the demon's vision.

The demon was frightened and started to run away. After that, the parents told the village, and from that point on everyone put coins under the children's pillow.

From ancient time, people believe that by giving the children money in a red packet, it will bring them luck and keep away the bad in their life.

Legend of the Forbidden City...

Second legend started in the Forbidden City, which happened in the year 618 (Tang dynasty). The queen gave birth to a prince. As a gift to the child, the emperor Taizong wrapped ingots of gold inside red papers to bring luck to the newborn. From that point on, everyone follow the king's foot step.

The Chinese's perspective, giving money to children in Spring Festival is a must, and there are two interpretations. First, not only the money encourages children to be good next year, but it also teaches children how to be respectful to the elders.

The children will only get the money if they wish the elders with good fortune and Happy New Year. The most common phase you will hear is "Gong Xi Fa Cai" meaning good fortune.

Second interpretation is will protect the child in the coming year. You may ask why people think that way; money can't help the child with anything other then bad habits such as becoming a gold digger (hehe). The reason is that the red packet represents good luck and good fortune to a child as it was told in the legend.

Furthermore, another way look at it is the elder is wishing happiness and luck back to the children. Because the children have a long life ahead of them, they will need all the luck they can get.

Well, how old is too old to receive red packets? The rule is everyone, who have not married can get a red packet. So, if you are in your 30s or in George Clooney's case in the 50s and still don't have a family; yes, you are qualified (hehe).

In Chinese's viewpoint, having a family is a must, so if you do not have family then you do need luck. Which is very different than the West, if you old and do not have a family, means that you want to become successful or ambitious.

Thank you for checking in, everybody. From where I am and wherever you are, have a warm night and good luck everyone.

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