{"id":14992,"date":"2022-01-21T17:00:21","date_gmt":"2022-01-21T09:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nsman.safra.sg\/?p=14992"},"modified":"2022-06-27T09:42:45","modified_gmt":"2022-06-27T01:42:45","slug":"giving-hongbao-huat-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nsman.safra.sg\/giving-hongbao-huat-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Giving Hongbao: Huat You Need To Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

The town is painted over in a cheery shade of red, a sure sign that Chinese New Year is just around the corner. From red lanterns to red couplets, the auspicious colour is found in every nook and cranny, but none more significant, perhaps, than the red packets.<\/p>\n

Known as \u2018hongbao\u2019 in Mandarin, these money-filled envelopes are symbolic blessings given to younger generations by their elders, and often the highlight of children\u2019s CNY celebrations. But how much do you know about this tradition? Here are 8 things you should know about giving and receiving hongbaos.<\/p>\n

1. It originated from a demon-fighting tale<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The custom of giving hongbao is believed to have come from an ancient Chinese legend about a demon known as Sui, who terrorised children on Lunar New Year\u2019s Eve. According to folklore, the Eight Immortals disguised themselves as coins to help an elderly couple ward off the evil spirit. The couple wrapped the coins in red paper and hid them under their child\u2019s pillow. When Sui crept up to the child at night, it was scared off by the bright lights that emanated from the coins. Parents all around the country then started to adopt this practice and the money became known as \u2018ya sui qian\u2019 (\u538b\u5c81\u94b1<\/span>), which translates as \u2018money to suppress Sui\u2019.<\/p>\n

2. Numbers matter when it comes to hongbaos<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Like many CNY traditions, there are several unspoken rules to the amount to give in hongbaos. One of the most important rules is to avoid giving amounts that include the number \u20184\u2019 because it sounds similar to \u2018death\u2019 in Mandarin and some dialects. You should also steer clear of odd numbers as they are traditionally associated with funerals.<\/p>\n

3. When in doubt, always go with even numbers<\/h3>\n

As the Chinese saying goes: all good things come in pairs. If you\u2019re ever unsure of the right figure to include in your hongbao, your best bet would be to give denominations that end with the number \u20188\u2019, which sounds like \u2018flourish\u2019 in Mandarin.<\/p>\n

To learn more about the amount to gift, read our guide here<\/span><\/a><\/span>.<\/span> And remember to keep a few extra hongbaos on you in case you bump into someone you know during the festive season.<\/p>\n

4. Don\u2019t give out old, wrinkled notes
\n<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Besides the value of the hongbao, another notable gifting etiquette is to use clean and crisp notes. This custom stems from the <\/span>long-held tradition to start the New Year fresh with new things, such as new clothes and new shoes. However, the notes don\u2019t have to be newly minted; they just need to look unblemished. This is why banks around Singapore will start to distribute new notes in the weeks leading up to CNY.<\/p>\n

5. Learn how to properly receive a hongbao<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Traditionally, children would kneel to receive their hongbao from their elders. While this is still practised by some families, most households these days have adopted a more casual approach and would simply exchange auspicious greetings. So, make sure to have a few phrases ready, and always accept the hongbao with both hands to show respect. Doing otherwise is believed to bring bad luck. Lastly, the envelopes should only be opened in private.<\/p>\n

6. The tradition has gone digital<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s to avoid queueing at the bank to withdraw cash, adopt a more sustainable paper-less lifestyle, or to overcome social distancing regulations, electronic hongbaos are becoming increasingly popular. Most banks in Singapore now offer this service and you can even add personalised greetings and graphics to your e-hongbao. If sending money virtually doesn\u2019t feel festive enough, you can opt for a QR hongbao that lets you load money onto a QR card that you can place in the red packet.<\/p>\n

7. Hongbaos are not just for CNY
\n<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

While red packets are most closely associated with Chinese New Year, it is certainly not limited to this festival. In Chinese culture, hongbaos are also given during other celebratory occasions, such as weddings and birthdays, as blessings. These hongbaos are often differentiated by the fortuitous words used on the envelope\u2019s design. For instance, hongbaos for birthdays would bear the Chinese character for \u2018longevity\u2019 (<\/span>\u5bff<\/span>) while those for weddings would be inscribed with \u2018double happiness\u2019 (<\/span>\u56cd<\/span>).<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>8. Hongbao-giving also goes beyond Chinese culture<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Other religious and ethnic groups in Singapore have also adopted similar customs. Green envelopes are used by the Muslim community during Hari Raya Aidilfitri, while the Indian community has taken to giving out purple envelopes for Deepavali. Elsewhere, parents in South Korea and Japan use white envelopes instead of red for monetary gifts to children during the New Year.<\/p>\n

Want more articles like this, and other lifestyle content right in your inbox? Sign up<\/span><\/a> for the eNSman Newsletter \u2013 you don’t need to be a SAFRA member to subscribe \u2013 and never miss another story!<\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Get the lowdown on this longstanding\u00a0CNY tradition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":14993,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[1008,3303,3306,3301,3307,3300,1012,2787,3308,3309,3304,3302,3305],"yoast_head":"\nGiving Hongbao: Huat You Need To Know - eNSMAN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The origin of hong bao giving during Chinese New Year, the proper way to do it and all the do's and don'ts associated with the practice.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Giving Hongbao: Huat You Need To Know - eNSMAN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The origin of hong bao giving during Chinese New Year, the proper way to do it and all the do's and don'ts associated with the practice.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nsman.safra.sg\/giving-hongbao-huat-you-need-to-know\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"eNSMAN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SAFRAsg\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-01-21T09:00:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-06-27T01:42:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nsman.safra.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/8ThingsAboveGivingHongBao-MainPix.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"836\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"430\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nsman.safra.sg\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nsman.safra.sg\/\",\"name\":\"eNSman - 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