Lucky Colors in China

Colors are important to Chinese culture because they are connected with meanings. The three main colors considered lucky in people’s daily lives as well as on special occasions are red, yellow, and green.

Red — Happiness, Success and Good Fortune

Red represents fire and is the most popular color in China. It is also the national color representing happiness, beauty, vitality, good luck, success and good fortune.

Red is famously popular in relation to anything Chinese and is widely used during festivals and important events like weddings.

Red lanterns adorn businesses and residences. Double rows of red 喜 (xǐ) (happiness) letters are pasted on gates and doors. People wear red during weddings, festivals and other celebratory events. Red envelopes are stuffed with money and given as gifts during Chinese New Year.

Yellow — Royalty and Power of the Throne

Yellow — corresponding to earth — symbolizes royalty and is reserved for the emperor.

The first Emperor of China was known as the Yellow Emperor. China was often referred to as ‘Yellow Earth’, and its mother river is the Yellow River. This is the most important color from an ancient perspective.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279), yellow glazed tiles were used to build imperial palaces. During Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1636-1911) Dynasties, emperors were dressed in yellow imperial robes. They rode in “yellow palace” carriages and traveled on “yellow paths”. Official flags were yellow.

Official seals were packaged in yellow fabric. Overlooking the Forbidden City from Beijing Jing Mountain, you can see a lot of yellow glazed tile roofs. Gilded copper urns and animals decorate many palaces.

In Chinese Buddhism, yellow is associated with freedom from material needs and monks wear yellow robes.

Green — Money and wealth

Green is the color of wealth, fertility, regeneration, hope, harmony and growth. Green also represents pure and clean.

Buildings, banks and restaurants are often painted in green. Packaging for milk or other products are often in green to indicate that the product is contamination free.


Post time: Jun-05-2020