The Significance of Red Envelopes in Chinese Culture Essay Example

As time goes by, many things can change, including culture. Nowadays, I doubt all cultures among all people carry the same meanings, and I doubt everyone understands their cultures in the same way as others. Depending on an individual's experience, their perceptions regarding an aspect or aspects of their culture may vary. Take me, for instance, I am a first-generation American Born Chinese. Despite my parents being raised in China, the 24 years they spent in America have more or less introduced them to a new lifestyle. As a result, my knowledge of Chinese culture is quite limited. Hong Bao (aka red envelope) is one of the (few) cultural objects that I am aware of and would carry down to the next generation. However, my knowledge of the red envelope may be distinct from the traditional meaning, and different from other people. Indeed, time and experience are two uncontrollable factors causing changes to cultures.  

To begin, let’s talk about the legend of the red envelopes. It was said that there was an evil spirit called Suì (祟), a demon covered with darkness except for his white hands. During New Year’s Eve,  Suì would visit sleeping children, tapping their heads three times. Doing so, children would become sick, and would later become mentally retarded. To prevent this from happening, parents tend to guard their children by keeping their lights on while staying up that whole night. It was a tradition called 守岁 (shǒusuì) or “staying up on New Year’s Eve” (Wolff). It was thought to be what people would do until one New Year’s Eve, in fear of the coming of Suì, two aged parents gave their son eight copper coins wrapped in red paper. Red, the color that the Chinese consider “luck, energy, and brightness in Chinese tradition,” was chosen by the parents to protect their son (Wolff). Luckily, their prayers worked. Eight good fairies turned into the eight coins that were placed beside their child’s pillow. When the evil spirit Suì appeared and reached his hand out to the child’s forehead, “rays of golden light burst out from the red packets,” and there fled the evil spirit. Then the story got spread out through the village where people began to do the same things. That is, preparing Hong Bao for their children during New Years' Eve. In Chinese, the content insider the envelope was called 壓祟錢 (yāsuì qián) or “money warding off evil spirits,” and later was changed slightly with a homonym into 壓歲錢 or “money warding off old age” (Wolff). 

While the legend suggests that Chinese New Year is the time to give children red envelopes to ward off evil spirits, a few concepts have changed in Chinese culture. First of all, Hong Bao has gradually become a common and popular thing given during special occasions, not only during Chinese New Year. Times include but are not limited to weddings, the birth of a newborn, and birthdays. Some companies would even give them out to employees as a work bonus, or simply during certain events. In essence, Hong Bao has become a tradition practiced for celebrations, where people could be giving them out for numerous reasons. The most common reason among family members would be to wish good luck and share blessings. For instance, allow me to share the story of my older sister getting accepted into 2 universities. Right after graduating from high school, my sister was accepted into the University of Riverside. Each of my aunts gave my sister one BIG hong bao, congratulating my sister for entering the next stage of her life. Two years later, my sister transferred to the University of Irvine. Although they do not have to do so, my aunts both prepared another hong bao for my sister, congratulating her once again. This anecdote of mine suggests two things. That attending college is considered a significant moment, thereby is an occasion where adults may or may not choose to prepare red envelopes. And the story shows that my two aunts are truly happy for my sister. Second of all, despite the tradition being that red envelopes are for kids, young adults that are earning money may also give red envelopes to their parents and grandparents as a sign of respect and expressing their gratitude. But this is quite rare to happen since I have grown up with the idea that Hong Bao is what adults give to children, and not the other way around. Even though I understand children would grow up to give their parents money, I have never seen anyone giving money to their parents with red envelopes. Or it could be because I was not raised in China. 

Adding on to when to give Hong Bao and who gets it, I think human perceptions on the content of these red envelopes also differ from the traditional view on it. In Georg Simmel’s Simmel on Culture, there is the idea of a money economy, in which people have become increasingly more rational rather than emotional. I interpret the idea when applying to Hong Bao as people caring more about the amount inside the packet rather than the luck and blessings associated with it. When saying this, I am by no means stating that everyone has become more objective. I maintain there must remain individuals viewing red envelopes as a sign of love and luck. But, I do state that the majority, both givers, and receivers of Hong Bao, pay more attention to the amount of money they placed (or received) in the red envelopes. Today, most, if not all, children consider Hong Bao merely as something that grown-ups would use as a money-giving packet. To them, red envelopes help to increase their savings. From my observations since I was little, kids would compare the total amounts of money they got. And some would even envy others for getting more money. On the other hand, when adults prepare Hong Bao, they would not give too little if they want to leave a generous and good impression. At least that’s what my parents have been presenting to me all these years. Especially if someone gave me and my sisters Hong Bao. If we accepted that money, my mom would always try to find chances to give back more. She keeps on telling us that it's better to give, and not take. Therefore, I am not as content as other children when someone gives me Hong Bao. It makes me feel that I am stuck in between these grown-ups, my mom telling me to not accept while others want me to take them. It also makes me feel as if it’s an exchange of money, and a way of connection where one gives, the other receives, and vice versa.

Finally, the red envelope is not the only form of giving Hong Bao in today’s age of technology. The idea of modernity in Charles Baudelaire’s The Painter of Modern Life can be well applied here, in which the improvements in technology have impacted the culture of Hong Bao. Living in a digital world, what’s wrong with having digital money? Starting 2014, WeChat, the app that almost all Asians use, had launched digital red envelopes --- WeChat Red Envelopes. People can send digital Hong Bao to another person via the app no matter the time and location. These are not restricted to events such as graduation, the birth of a newborn, or the Chinese New Year. They can contain very little money since they could be sent between friends, maybe just paying back some money or just a person celebrating something small. For me to say, a digital red envelope seems like an informal way of sending money, whereas handing over the packets to a person is more formal. Nonetheless, the culture of Hong Bao has been fitting into the lifestyle of modern days, while keeping the tradition going on. To put it in another way, people have more options today, giving red envelopes digitally or in person.

Overall, Hong Bao remains an important aspect of Chinese culture, but not everyone may treat this traditional way of wishing good luck the same as when it was created. Despite it starting with a legend identifying the purpose of the red envelopes to ward off the evil spirit, people gradually view it simply as a part of the culture. It can be prepared for special occasions other than the Chinese New Year, and it can even be given to parents showing gratitude. Moreover, people begin to value more of the content inside the red envelope instead of the meanings associated with it. People have even merged Hong Bao into this digital world we are living in. Based on my own experience, I would say that while the tradition continues to be carried on, people of different generations have their own understandings of their cultures. One might be unaware of its meanings and its origin, or one might come up with their personal views on the matter depending on their surroundings.