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Thread: Learn to use chopsticks!
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[quote=GAFFER,358452]Red envelopes also known as "red packets" "Ang Pow" "laisee" or "Hung-Bao" are way of giving money. At weddings normally the happy couple receive red envelopes containing money from relatives and guests. At new year it gets a little more complicated. Young kids get red envelopes containing money from relatives...but adult kids sometimes give them to their parents. They are also given for birthdays, to employees, to parents celebrating the first month of their childs birth and other important events. The number of coins or notes in the ang pow may take advantage of the Chinese homophones. For instance, you can give a favourable amount ending with eight as it sounds like fortune in Chinese, or nine, which sounds like longevity. Four is not a good number to give as it sounds like death. You should always give money in even numbers though as to receive one or three or any other uneven number would be considered unlucky. However, to receive one Chinese i-ching coin in the envelope is considered very lucky. The story of "ang pow" dates back to the Sung Dynasty in China. A village called Chang-Chieu was at the time terrorised by a huge demon. No one was capable of defeating it, not even their greatest warriors or statesmen. However, a young orphan armed with a magical sabre inherited from his ancestors fought the evil demon and eventually killed it. The villagers were triumphant and the elders presented the brave young man with an ang pow filled with money for his courage in saving them. Since then, the ang pow has become a part of traditional Chinese customs. When giving money on festive or auspicious occasions, never put money in a white envelope or you would face the anger of the recipient! Money wrapped in white envelopes is given when the occasion is sad, like during funerals, when a gift of money is given to help with the funeral costs. This is called 'Pak Kum' money for the family of the departed. [/quote]
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