Name Abid Reza Khan ID # 0910068045 CHN 101, Sec - 1

Q. Ans:

What do the Chinese do in the Chinese New Year festival? Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. In China, it is also known as the Spring Festival. Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally ran from Chinese New Year's Day itself, the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar, to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month, making the festival the longest in the Chinese calendar. The evening preceding Chinese New Year's Day is an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner. It is also traditional for every family to thoroughly cleanse the house, in order to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red colour paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of "good fortune" or "happiness", "wealth", and "longevity." Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red paper envelopes.

Q. Ans:

Can you explain what is Hong Bao? Hong Bao, literally "red envelopes" are the traditional gifts that adults give children. The general idea is that adults with income give children with no income Hong Bao during Chinese New Year. In practice, "children" can even mean young adults who are unmarried. Children ask for Hong Bao by saying "Gong Xi Fa Cai, Hong Bao Na Lai!" It means Happy New Year! Give me a red envelope! Don't be shocked though, everyone's prepared for this and the givers make arrangements in advance so that when they go visiting, they have the red packets at hand for such occasions.

Q. Ans:

What is our thinking about Hong Bao if I were a Chinese? Since everyone gives Hong Bao in a red envelope, I would do the same. Since in this generation money makes everyone happy so I would prefer to give money in the red envelope. I came to know that it's ideal to give round numbers or numbers ending in 8. If we're talking in Chinese currency the Renminbi, then 88 (though this is quite a bit low), 188, 288, etc. are good numbers. Also 200, 300, etc. are good. Four is an unlucky number in China so I will avoid any number that contains a 4. In case of a small child I would give some presents instead of the money as little kid will be happier to see the present rather than to see money.