Editing Red envelope (section)

==History==

The history of the red packet dates to the [[Han dynasty]]. People created a type of coin to ward off evil spirits, {{Transliteration|zh|"yasheng qian"}} ({{lang-zh|hp=yāshèng qián|links=no|s=压胜钱}}), which was inscribed with auspicious words, such as "May you live a long and successful life". It was believed to protect people from sickness and death.

In the [[Tang dynasty]], the Chinese New Year was seen as the beginning of spring, and in addition to congratulations, elders gave money to children to ward off evil spirits.

After the [[Song dynasty|Song]] and [[Yuan dynasty|Yuan]] dynasties, the custom of giving money in the Spring Festival evolved into the custom of giving children lucky money. The elderly would thread coins with a red string.

The [[Ming dynasty|Ming]] and [[Qing dynasty|Qing]] dynasties featured two kinds of lucky money. One was made of red string and coins, sometimes placed at the foot of the bed in the shape of a dragon. The other was a colorful pouch filled with coins.

In Qing dynasty, the name "{{Transliteration|zh|yāsuì qián}}" ({{lang|zh|压岁钱}}) emerged. The book {{Transliteration|zh|Qīng Jiā Lù}} ({{lang|zh|清嘉录}}) recorded that "elders give children coins threaded together by a red string, the money is called {{Transliteration|zh|yasui qian}}."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gu |first1=Lu |title=Qīng Jiā Lù (清嘉录) |chapter=6 |quote=长者貽小儿以朱绳缀百钱谓之压岁钱 zhǎng zhě yí xiǎo er yǐ zhū shéng zhuì bǎi qián wèi zhī yā suì qián |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/02098926.cn/page/n66/mode/2up}}</ref>

From the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)]] era, it evolved into 100 coins wrapped in red paper, meaning "May you live a hundred years!". Due to the lack of holes in modern-day coins, red envelopes became more prevalent. Later, people adopted banknotes instead of coins.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kin Wai Michael|first=Siu|date=Winter 2001|title=Red pocket: A traditional object in the modern world|journal=Journal of Popular Culture|volume=35|issue=3|pages=103–125|id={{ProQuest|195369993}}|doi=10.1111/j.0022-3840.2001.3503_103.x}}</ref>

After the founding of [[China|the People's Republic of China]] in 1949, the custom of the elders giving the younger generation money continued.