15/09/2023
The word in black ink and on red paper I'm showing in this photo is a must known for Chinese New Year Celebration.
It is "福" (Fú).
Would you like to know more?
The meaning:
"福" is a Chinese character that represents the concept of "fortune" or "good luck." In Chinese culture, "福" is associated with happiness, blessings, and positive outcomes in various aspects of life, such as wealth, health, and success.
The formation of the character:
"福" is an interesting character because it contains a hidden message within its form. It's made up of several components that symbolize different aspects of life and blessings. The bottom right part of the character "福" is "田" (tián), which means "field" or "land", doesn't it look like the farm land in Chinese rural area? Yes. It has its boundaries and clear areas, as each square/rectangle would have been given to one family unit to grow food (however the landlord would have taken most of the harvest, for a certain long period of the history, sad! Let's explore this factor later...). To continue, this represents the idea of abundance and prosperity, as a fertile field yields a rich harvest.
The character also contains the element "口" (kǒu), right middle part, which means "mouth" or "opening." This part represents the concept of receiving blessings and good things. Also, some argue this means one head/person. The left part of "福" is "礻" (shì) traditionally "示" (shì), meaning "altar" or "offerings." This represents the idea of making offerings to the gods or ancestors to seek blessings and good fortune.
In summary, "福" (Fú) combines these elements to convey the idea of abundant blessings and good fortune coming into one's life. It's a visual representation of the positive aspects people hope to achieve in life, and it's often displayed during Chinese New Year on the main eateries of a building or a house, this is to wish for happiness and prosperity. It is always written on red paper with black ink. Hence why, even after the celebration period, people would leave it there and hesitate to bring it down. You can see how much the word and its meaning means to Chinese people.
diving at Burgess Hill Girls 🤩
