Hongbao: The who, how and what of Chinese red envelopes

Hongbao are ubiquitous across China—and even throughout much of Asia. But what are these little Chinese red envelopes stuffed with money actually for, and what do they mean?

In this article, we'll give you a complete rundown of the myths, history, and etiquette behind this beloved tradition. Whether you're planning to Learn Chinese in China or simply want to navigate the custom with confidence, read on.

01 Hongbao basics

The word "hongbao" comes from the Chinese word 红包 (hóngbāo), which literally means "red bag." Frequently referred to as "red envelopes" or "red packets" in English, these crimson paper pouches filled with money are ubiquitous across China—and even throughout much of Asia.

Since at least the 10th century, red envelopes have held a unique place of ritual importance in Chinese culture. Hongbao are frequently associated with Chinese New Year (春节 Chūnjié), China's most significant holiday, which falls on a date calculated using the lunar calendar.

As the name suggests, hongbao are always red—scarlet being symbolic of good fortune as well as a way to guard against evil spirits. The envelopes themselves usually come emblazoned with Chinese characters and beautiful, sometimes intricate images invoking good luck and good fortune.

There's even a DIY, origami movement that's taken hold online. It's a fun gateway into a broader world of Chinese artistic traditions that continue to thrive today.

02 Hongbao mythology and origins

The origins of the practice of giving red envelopes on festivals and important life milestones is not entirely clear. As with many elements of traditional Chinese culture, it has multiple explanations.

Hongbao and the demon Sui

One of the most popular myths surrounding the custom involves a demon named Sui (祟 suì). This demon preyed exclusively on children.

On New Year's Eve, he would emerge from his lair, slipping into the houses of unsuspecting families. Once inside, Sui would enter the bedroom of the house's resident children.

There he would drag his wizened talons across their sleeping foreheads. Awaking with a start, the child would let out a terrorized scream and subsequently be inflicted with a demonic headache.

To prevent this from occurring, one New Year's Eve a particularly devoted set of parents determined to keep their beloved son up all night. As the hours dragged on and it became clear that the little boy would not make it through the night, the worried mother went to fetch 8 lucky copper coins—which were none other than the gods of Chinese folklore: the 8 Immortals.

After slipping them into a red envelope, she slid them under her son's pillow. True to form, that night Sui slipped in under the door.

But as he approached the boy's bed, a hazy light began to radiate from beneath the pillow. As Sui came closer, the glow grew brighter and brighter until the rays pierced his eyes like knives—and he fled shrieking into the night.

Red and money do the trick

The combination of the copper coins and the lucky color red had done the trick, with a little help from the gods. From that day on, the people of the land used money-filled red envelopes to fend off evil spirits.

Even today, one way of referring to the money inside red envelopes given specifically to babies and young children is "yāsuìqián" (压岁钱). As 岁 suì (meaning "year" or "years") and 祟 suì (the demon's name) are homonyms, this phrase is sometimes understood to mean "money for suppressing or deterring the demon Sui."

03 Hongbao protocol

Now that we've got a firm grasp of the myths and stories surrounding the origins of the hongbao, it's time to review the practical factors that should be considered when giving or receiving red envelopes. These factors include the age and status of giver and receiver, acceptable occasions for gifting red envelopes, the condition of the money they contain, and acceptable amounts, among other things.

Who gives and receives hongbao in China?

In contemporary China, red envelopes serve much the same function that they did in dynastic China: they maintain, cultivate, and nurture relationships between different members of Chinese society. Usually, hongbao are given in the following contexts:

Generational: From Old to Young

In Chinese culture, red envelopes are often given by the older generation to younger ones, particularly children and young adults. This tradition symbolizes the transfer of good fortune and blessings from the elders.

During important festivals like Chinese New Year, it's customary for grandparents, parents, and even elder siblings to give hongbao to younger family members. This reinforces familial bonds and a sense of generational continuity.

Marital: From Married to Unmarried

In the context of marital status, married couples are traditionally expected to give red envelopes to their unmarried counterparts. This custom is prevalent during occasions like weddings, where newlyweds receive hongbao from their married guests as a symbol of good luck and prosperity.

Similarly, during family gatherings and festivals, married individuals often present red envelopes to their unmarried siblings or relatives. It's a gesture of care and shared blessings that reinforces family ties.

Employment: From Bosses to Workers

In the workplace, the distribution of red envelopes can be seen as a form of informal bonus or token of appreciation. Bosses or managers often give hongbao to their employees during major holidays or company celebrations.

This gesture reinforces the hierarchical yet familial nature of Chinese business culture. It's a useful thing to be aware of for anyone interested in working in China.

Professional Gratitude: From Clients to Professionals

Red envelopes are also customary in professional relationships. Patients, students, or clients may give hongbao to doctors, teachers, or other professionals as a token of gratitude.

This practice reinforces the value placed on personal connections and respect within professional interactions. It's one of the many unspoken rules that shape day-to-day life in China—rules that are well worth learning alongside the broader etiquette of Chinese social occasions.

A Word of Caution: Bribery

Unfortunately, the tradition of hongbao has also been known to be misused in the form of bribery. In some corrupt practices, red envelopes are used to discreetly offer bribes to officials or business partners.

This misuse of hongbao undermines the traditional values associated with these gifts. It reflects a darker side of how cultural practices can be distorted.

04 Hongbao occasions

Red envelopes are most commonly associated with Chinese Lunar New Year, but that's not the only place they turn up. China is a big, populous place that's home to many unique regional traditions—and when one considers all the myriad Chinese diaspora communities scattered around the world, it gets even more complicated.

Due to the diverse nature of the communities that use hongbao today, the occasions where red envelopes are likely to make an appearance can vary depending on where you are in the world. To get a fuller picture of when hongbao might appear throughout the year, it helps to familiarise yourself with the full calendar of Chinese holidays and festivals.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of occasions where hongbao traditionally appear:

• Marriages
• Births and Baby Showers
• Anniversaries
• Promotions
• Occasions involving guests
• Birthdays
• Graduations
• Festivals

Unsure where to buy hongbao? You can always make your own with the help of the many instructional videos for DIY hongbao that can now be found on the Internet.

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05 Hongbao do's and don'ts

When preparing to give a hongbao to someone, it's important to be mindful of certain associated taboos. Avoiding them will help you avoid a great deal of unnecessary embarrassment.

Always use two hands

The above piece of advice applies not only to giving and receiving red envelopes but to giving or receiving almost any physical object in China. In general, giving or receiving objects with two hands is considered polite and is an important way to show respect.

Well-mannered students in the Chinese classroom give their homework to their teachers using both hands. When people exchange business cards, they give and receive them with two hands.

In sum, using two hands to receive both red envelopes and pretty much all other objects is a simple Chinese etiquette hack. This trick can immediately signal to whoever you're interacting with that you understand the rules of social conduct in China.

What goes inside?

When preparing traditional physical red envelopes (as opposed to the virtual versions, discussed below), remember to stuff them with paper money, not coins. It's also important to give fresh, new money—not old, crumpled notes.

The best approach is to visit a bank and withdraw some crisp, new bills. This small gesture signals care and respect for the recipient.

How much?

The total amount of money included in Chinese red envelopes varies widely depending on the occasion, the geographic location, and the relationship between the giver and the receiver. In China, some hongbao can contain less than one hundred renminbi, while others can contain tens of thousands of yuan.

When trying to decide on the exact amount to include, it's best to ask a local for advice. The right amount also depends on an understanding of social hierarchies and relationships that vary from region to region.

Number rules

When stuffing hongbao with cash, aim for amounts that include even numbers, especially 6s and 8s, which are considered lucky numbers in Chinese culture. Interestingly, odd-numbered amounts of money are traditionally given at weddings in some Chinese communities because they are difficult to divide—so it's best to consult with a local if you're heading to a wedding.

Under normal circumstances, odd numbers should be avoided—except for 9. The Chinese pronunciation of 9 (九) is jiǔ, which is a homophone for "long" (久 jiǔ), symbolizing a long life or a long marriage.

Including amounts containing 4, however, is universally anathema: the word for 4 (四 sì) sounds like the word for death (死 sǐ), so avoid it like the proverbial plague. This kind of number symbolism is part of the fascinating world of Chinese numerology that influences everything from phone numbers to wedding dates.

Money for funerals

When attending a traditional Chinese funeral, it's also customary to give an envelope of money to the relatives of the deceased. In this case, the total amount should be an odd number.

These envelopes are not called "hongbao" because they aren't red—they are white, the color traditionally associated with death in China, and are called 奠仪 (diànyí). Understanding this distinction is part of navigating the unwritten rules of Chinese social occasions with confidence.

06 Virtual hongbao

First introduced on WeChat in 2014 on Chinese New Year's Eve, the "virtual hongbao" now permits anyone to send and receive these age-old gifts in the digital realm with the convenience of a single tap. The groundswell of popular support for the feature launched what has been dubbed the "hongbao wars."

Different online payment platforms—chiefly Tencent, owner of WeChat (微信 Wēixìn), and Alibaba Group, owner of AliPay (支付宝 Zhīfùbǎo)—began vying for control of the lucrative digital hongbao market. To understand how these platforms fit into daily life in China, it's worth exploring the broader landscape of social media in China.

With the advent of the virtual red envelope, fans can even send a hongbao to their favorite movie stars, esports champions, and live streamers. Foreign companies have also jumped aboard the hongbao marketing train: in 2020, Nike's advertising department produced a hilarious, hongbao-themed New Year's commercial entitled "The Great Chase."

07 Hongbao outside China

Today, red envelopes are not the exclusive domain of those living within China. In fact, they have become an established custom in a number of Asian cultures.

Understanding these regional variations is a rewarding part of exploring Chinese culture and its influence across the world. It's also a reminder that Chinese traditions are living, evolving practices—much like the Chinese New Year celebrations that carry them forward each year.

Vietnam

Vietnam has a well-developed set of rituals associated with red envelopes. Somewhat similar to the western practice of giving gifts to children on Christmas, on the day of Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), Vietnamese families give red envelope gifts to their youngest members.

Referred to as lì xì—a word derived from an older Chinese expression meaning "lucky money"—the customs surrounding these envelopes share many similarities with those in China. Vietnamese people even trace the origins of this custom to the story of demon Sui.

Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia

Known as the sampul duit raya, the green envelopes exchanged in Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia are an Islamic rendition of the red envelope tradition. Green envelopes are given as gifts during the period of celebration associated with Eid ul-Fitr, marking the festive end of Ramadan.

The gift itself is often called an "Eidi" and is typically given by members of the older generation to younger ones—primarily to children and visiting guests. The green color represents the paradise depicted in Islamic eschatology.

08 Hongbao vocabulary

The following key terms will help you talk about red envelopes confidently in Chinese. For a broader foundation in Mandarin, explore our guides on basic Chinese words and essential Chinese idioms.