What Is a Traditional Chinese Gift?

Choosing a traditional Chinese gift doesn't have to be difficult.

Gift-giving is an important part of Chinese culture, and traditional gifts occupy an important place in social exchanges. Picking traditional gifts can help build harmonious relationships with Chinese friends, family or business associates.

New Year

Chinese New Year is a time for traditional gifts such as dragon carvings.

China's New Year celebration is a time for extensive gift-giving. Traditional gifts such as lanterns, fans, dragon-head carvings and chopsticks make great gifts during this time of the year.

Visiting

Desserts are popular traditional gifts for visiting a home.

Gifts of food, especially desserts, side dishes and wines, are popular traditional gifts for visiting another person's home in China. Blooming plants and flowers are also common offerings.

Symbolism

A red candle as a gift represents good fortune and harmony.

Red is a color that represents good fortune in Chinese tradition and a popular choice for gift wrap. (China-Window.com) Traditional gifts such as candles, chimes and gongs are designed to improve the "feng shui" or harmonious aesthetics of the recipient's home.

Money

Cash is a traditional gift for children and newlyweds.

Children often receive money in sealed red envelopes from visiting family and friends. Wedding guests also traditionally give money in red envelopes to a newly married couple.

Warning

Gifts such as clocks have negative associations in Chinese tradition.

Avoid giving gifts that have negative associations with death in Chinese tradition, including scissors, knives, clocks and sandals. Also, do not give gifts in quantities of four, as the Cantonese word for "four" sounds similar to the word for "death."

References

• 123ChineseNewYear
• Bella Online
• China-Window.com