Legend has it that in ancient times a horrible man eating monster called Nian lurked in the mountains of China, waiting to for nightfall to sneak into people’s homes and consume his gruesome favorite feast during the New Year celebrations. But the people found out that for all his ferocity, Nian was terrified of two things: the color red and loud noises. (According to one legend, the people discovered Nian’s color-phobia when a clever old man flashed his bright red underwear at Nian and frightened him away. A brave man if that’s so!) In order to survive the New Year, people used fireworks and lots of red decorations to scare away the Nian and keep their homes safe.

From out of this tradition grew the modern association of the color red with protectiveness, prosperity and luck during the fifteen days of the Chinese New Year. People hang red decorations and signs with 恭喜发财 (prosperous wishes) written on them, married people give 利市 (red envelopes) with money in them to their unmarried friends and family, and many people wear something red for every day of the fifteen days of celebration. The color red is more than just associated with the Chinese New Year; it’s an essential part of the festivities.

So strong is the association of red with protectiveness and the warding off of bad luck that many Chinese people wear a jade pendant on a red cord around their necks for luck. People are especially vulnerable to bad luck during the year of the zodiac sign they were born under, and during this year many Chinese people never take these jade pendants off.

Because of all of these associations, the color red is also prominent at Chinese weddings. Chinese couples often send out red invitations; the bride’s dress is traditionally red; and here too the 利市 (red envelopes), generally with cash gifts inside, make their appearance. Even wedding decorations tend to be red.  

The story of the color red in China doesn’t end there; aside from these associations with luck and protective qualities, the color red has a history within the Chinese astrological system. Most westerners probably know about the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac (in order: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and boar), but the cycle of the Chinese calendar is actually a sixty year cycle, with five twelve-year-cycles each associated with elements and colors – metal with white or gold, water with black, wood with green or blue, fire with red, and earth with brown or yellow. These five elements and the colors associated with them are the elements and colors that make up the world and everything in it according to classical Chinese physics.

So, red is the color of fire, of light and warmth and life. Coincidentally, red is also the color of blood, strengthening its association with the essential pulse of life, and through this its association with happiness and joy, in particular the joys of a life well lived.

In more recent days, particularly in the West, red has come to be associated with China itself, Chinese communism and the Red Guards of the Cultural Revolution. Red is the dominant color of the Chinese flag after all. To some extent this association is true in China as well; during the 50’s and the 60’s it was popular for communist party members to name their children Hong (red) in part because of this association with the communist party and patriotism. But these associations are secondary or even tertiary in the Chinese consciousness. Red is, and has been for thousands of years, the color of luck, a protection against evil and an assurance of future good fortune.

Reference:

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