Fatter red envelopes miss point of tradition

(Ecns.cn) -- An online survey shows that red envelopes containing cash, which are given as gifts during Chinese Spring Festival, were much larger than usual this year, a worrying sign that the "hongbao" tradition is on the wrong track.

According to the survey by web portal Sina.com, 38.9 percent of the children polled received red packets containing between 2,000 to 5,000 yuan (US$320-$802) this year from their parents. The vast majority agreed they were given much more than in the past.

In one episode that stirred the nation, a 10-year-old boy visited a supermarket in Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province, and overheard four of his peers discussing how much money they had received this year. The boy joined the conversation and boasted that he had gotten a handsome 4,000 yuan (US$641).

That was a mistake. The other four children became so envious and frustrated that they physically assaulted him.

The incident served as a wake-up call for many Chinese parents who are unsure of how to handle lucky money doled out during New Year. Experts say it is necessary for parents to tell their kids how to use the cash gifts responsibly in order to develop their ability to handle personal finances.

One girl in her 20s recently became a shining example on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter: she managed to save up 200,000 yuan (US$32,080) in red-envelope cash over the years, enough for a down payment on a local studio apartment.

Unsurprisingly, as hongbao grow fatter, many grown-ups complain that the practice is putting too great a strain on their wallets.

In Guangzhou, 500 yuan ($80) is the new minimum for a red envelope, according to the Guangzhou Daily newspaper. For adults with a large number of young relatives and close friends with children, the practice can cost an entire month's salary or more.

Those who feel the drain the most are adults with no children of their own to offset the strain of holiday gift-giving.

"My salary is not high. When I go back to my hometown I have to hand out red envelopes with more money inside than the locals just to gain face for my parents, but it can cost me two months' salary," says a stressed-out migrant worker in Beijing.

Moreover, red envelopes have become associated with bribery and patronage. A retired government official recently complained that his child used to receive thousands of yuan in hongbao every Spring Festival from people seeking favors, "But now, no one visits except for relatives."

The original meaning of the red-envelope ritual was a New Year blessing passed from the older generation to the young; it did not emphasize the amount of money contained inside, says Wang Guiyuan, an arts professor at Renmin University.

Folk culture experts have called for a return to the roots of the Spring Festival tradition and a greater focus on its symbolic meaning – to maintain peace and safety for children.