The Custom of Chines Red Packet Exchanges
Social Changes in the Custom
Since red packets symbolize good luck, the tradition and custom has been
extended to other festivals and occasions, particularly those associated with
traditional Chinese worship activities that have been directly and indirectly related
to an expectation ofa better life (Tao, 1993: 16-17). Moreover, givers of red packets
have gradually re-interpreted the practice as an expression of a \\\g\\QV social status.
For example, employers present red packets to their employees; and ladies present
red packets to hairdressers and beauticians.
Today, the giving of red packets departs from its traditional function as a
physical and material practice expressing family members’ and relatives’ love, to a
contemporary function as a “performance” and “re-enactment” of a tradition under
social pressure (Wang, 1995). Most people present red packets not only because of
their concerns and wishes for their children or their junior relatives in the same
family/clan, but also as a means of influencing how people — outsiders —view
them.
Furthennore, contemporary Chinese pay less attention to the original strict
relations between givers and recipients. It often happens that the giver of a red
packet does not know or recognize his/her recipient. As mentioned by Ng and
Ingram (1983), “If a person goes to a friend’s home to visit during the days of the
celebration of New Year, and there is someone else visiting in the home who has
children, even though he does not know them, he must also give lucky money”
(90). In fact, Chinese people have come to expect others to present red packets at
New Year’s celebrations. It is easy to imagine how embarrassed a man would be if
another person gave a red packet to his children, but he did not reciprocate this
kindness. So, Welch (1997) cautions us that “during New Year, never venture outof-doors unprepared — without a small stack of packets in your pocket — as you
never know who you will meet” (p. 38).
Money Orientation
Although over the course of time people have altered the custom by
combining a piece of red paper with propitious words and money, money has always
been the major content of red packet. However, more attention has gradually been
paid to the amount of the money given rather than to the original reasons for giving
the red packet. In Hong Kong, for example, many children are concerned whether
the contents of a red packet consist of paper money or coins and thus they lose the
importance of the original meaning of receiving red packets. Because paper money
represents a higher amount, people like to receive red packets that are lightweight.
In fact, a common complaint with regard to a red packet with a coin inside is: “it
drops on the floor with a dinging sound”. Most of the time, this kind of dinging
sound makes people very embarrassed.