The custom of "Giving lucky money" or giving money to celebrate the new year in Vietnamese culture

So what is "Lucky Money" or lucky money, lucky money?

The lucky money is called “Lì Xi” in Vietnamese and is derived from the Chinese word for “luck”. Traditionally, lucky money is a small amount of money that is put into a red envelope then given to children as a wish for good luck, health and good things to come to them during the Lunar New Year. . The lucky money inside is usually new, low-denomination bills but symbolizes growth and success.

The origin of "Lucky money" or lucky money

When and how did the custom of “Li Xi” begin? It is difficult to find exact answers to these questions but it is believed that the giving and receiving of lucky money originated in China.

A legend has it that in the past, evil spirits living in tree hollows always wanted to escape and harm children, but were prevented by the gods. However, the gods could not stay on the earth and had to go to heaven to receive the new task assigned by the Chief. On New Year's Eve, evil spirits come out again and pat children's heads, causing them to cry loudly and have high fevers. Therefore, parents had to stay up all night to take care of their children. At that time, there was an old couple, who finally had a son after a long time of marriage. They were scared at the thought that evil spirits could harm their son. One day, some gods passed by this old couple's house and learned about the story of evil spirits; They helped the couple protect their son by turning into copper coins and asking the mother to get them a piece of red envelope, which was placed under the child's pillow. That night, the evil spirits came to the house but were afraid of the glitter of the coins and could not harm the baby. The good story quickly spread around and since then, people started putting some money in red envelopes to give to children as a way of showing their love for them. And this is when the custom of giving lucky money to children began and has been handed down to this day.

There is another legend that says that the custom of "Li Xi" originated in the Tang Dynasty of China. After Duong Quy Phi gave birth to a prince, the king gave the infant gold and silver in a red card as a good luck charm to protect him against evils.

Although there is no scientific evidence that "Red Lucky" can bring luck or not, it certainly creates great happiness for the recipient, whether ancient or modern.

The meaning of giving “Ri Xi” in the new year

Referring to "Li Xi", people often think that it is the act of giving children money to celebrate the year on the 1st of Tet. Even the amount of money inside the red envelope, even a small amount, is considered to bring good luck to the recipient. The custom of “Lì Xi” is usually performed in the first three days, but can even last until the 10th day of the New Year.

Besides money, the red envelope itself also has its own meaning. First of all, the money is contained in an envelope as a way to express confidentiality and privacy to avoid comparison. Adults want the children to consider "Lucky" as a wish for good luck and the best things will come to the recipient in the coming new year. In addition, red is considered the luckiest color in Asian beliefs. That is why this color can be seen in most traditional festivals, signifying prosperity and development. Therefore, the more “Ri Xi” (red envelopes) a person gives or receives, the more success he or she will have in the new year.

In the past, when living conditions were very difficult, adults had to work very hard to have enough to eat, a small "Ri Xi" was a great spiritual motivation. Their children consider "Lì Xi" on New Year's Day as their precious treasure, spending only on necessary things that are difficult for them to obtain on weekdays. Children today grow up in better conditions, with enough food, clothing and entertainment. But that didn't dampen the kids' excitement when they received "Li Xi". Modern parents educate their children to manage "Li Xi" as their own property with proper manner. Some children only keep a small amount of “Lì Xì” to buy toys and give the rest to their parents to pay school fees, others give their savings “Lì Xì” to charity in the hope of helping children. poor.

In addition, lucky money is not only for children but also for the elderly in the family. When grown-up children give “Ri Xi” to their elderly parents, it is a way of showing their concern for the health of the elders in the family. It is like a precious gift for a family if grandparents, parents have good health and live longer with their children and grandchildren. On the other hand, the elders themselves feel very happy when they receive lucky money from the children because the money is made by themselves, which means that the children have stable jobs to support themselves. subsistence.

How should you give and receive “Ri Xi”?

During the first three days of the Lunar New Year, people wear new and beautiful clothes or even traditional costumes to visit relatives and friends, sending them wishes for health, happiness and prosperity in the coming year. New Year. After many wishes, people will give "red packets" to children. In the past, “Ri Xi” was only given to children or elders but now it can be sent to anyone, young or old, as people believe that the more “Ri Xi” they are given out, the more they can be. get more luck.

Red envelopes wrapped in red envelopes with New Year wishes. Red envelopes must be new bills to show your respect to the recipient because old money is often considered unlucky. Lucky money, new money during Tet is considered the beginning of a new year, the beginning of a new adventure.

When receiving “Lucky Money”, always use both hands and avoid opening the envelope immediately to see how much money is inside as this behavior is considered impolite in Vietnamese culture. As a return for the money you receive, always sincerely say "thank you" to the giver and don't forget to send them your best wishes.

"How much "Li Xi" should I put in the red envelope?" is always the main question and concern of those who first come to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year and want to carry out this interesting custom. Indeed, the amount of money in a red envelope depends on the relationship between the giver and the receiver. There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Most importantly, the precious value of a red envelope is not measured by the amount of money you receive, but rather by the wishes that others give you.

“Lucky money” or lucky money in modern life

Previously, the money inside the red envelope was only associated with coins. Today, people who give “Ri Xi” are very picky about red envelopes and the form of money. The middle-aged people put the current circulating coins of “Ri Xi” as a practical gift. Young people have a different view of “Ran Xi” so they choose unspent red envelopes that are kept by the recipient as a lucky charm. Some people choose the 10,000 dong banknote because it is called the "queen of banknotes" due to its red color and beautiful design. Others prefer foreign currency with small bills like 1 USD or 2 USD. They even carefully selected coins with nice serial numbers. The sequence of numbers can have the same last 3, 4 or 5 digits. The final number might be 68, which sounds like "prosperity" in Chinese. They believe that these coins will bring good luck and happiness to the recipient.

Regarding the value of money inside the “Red Jacket”, many people prefer to order large quantities rather than the traditional small ones. There is a Vietnamese saying that the richer people are, the more polite and humble their behavior is. As living conditions get better and better, people become richer and they consider lucky money as a tool to show their social status and reputation. Or some people simply believe that their life is getting better and they want to share with their relatives and friends. Furthermore, the “Ri Xi” money seems to be a good way for them to show their kindness.

The custom of “Li Xi” has changed slightly to keep up with the development of Vietnamese society. However, in ancient or modern society, "Lì Xi" is still one of the most popular customs of Vietnamese people during the Lunar New Year. Most importantly, its meaning is not in the amount of money being donated but in the wish of the giver to bring happiness and prosperity to his loved ones in the new year.