UCA News
Contribute

Digital red envelopes help Chinese celebrate Lunar New Year

Catholics in China go hi-tech to welcome in the Year of the Rooster
Digital red envelopes help Chinese celebrate Lunar New Year

A digital red envelope ready to be opened on the recipients mobile phone. Clicking on the Chinese character "open" inside the circle will show the amount of money received. (ucanews.com photo)

 

Published: January 27, 2017 07:58 AM GMT
Updated: January 27, 2017 10:04 AM GMT

As e-commerce gets more and more popular in China, digital red envelopes have become a "must have" item for Chinese New Year.

Traditionally, Chinese people give monetary gifts in red envelopes to children and the elderly during New Year when families gather together to celebrate.

About 75 percent of 1,000 respondents from Beijing and Shanghai said they would give digital red envelopes to their friends and relatives to celebrate the New Year of the Rooster, which begins on Jan. 28, according to a recent survey by the United Overseas Bank.

Some 60 percent of respondents said they use the digital gifts because they enjoy the novelty and 57 percent of them like the convenience. About 45 percent will send digital envelopes to friends and colleagues, 35 percent to their children and the rest to the children of relatives.

In 2016, more than 32 billion digital red envelopes were sent via Wechat, a popular mobile app, during the first 10 days of Chinese New Year. It was a 10-fold increase on the previous year, according to Wechat's operator, Tencent.

About 516 million Wechat users exchanged digital red envelopes with more than 92 percent of them sent by internet users aged between 20-29 years.

Clare, a Catholic laywoman in eastern Zhejiang province who runs an online shop, spoke on condition that her surname was not used. She said that she preferred digital red envelopes over traditional ones and has prepared 1,000 yuan (US$145) to give out this year.

"If I give out real ones, I have to buy the red envelopes in the first place. It is a lot of fuss to prepare and I don't know when I will bump into friends or if I may be short of cash. So better to do it via my digital wallet," she said, adding that most young people pay for things digitally nowadays.

 

Comparison brings burden

Giving out digital red envelopes puts less pressure on Clare to meet or surpass other gifts given in her affluent coastal province where real envelopes usually contain 500 or 1,000 yuan.

In recent decades, people have complained that giving out red envelopes is a burden when friends and relatives begin to compare how much money they receive from different people.

"It is embarrassing to give a lower amount than others. But when everyone tries to grasp the digital red envelopes in the shortest time, it is a lot more fun; like playing an electronic game," Clare said, referring to a new craze for posting a certain number of envelopes in online chat groups and allowing participants to grab them at will.

"It may only be a few yuan in each red envelope and the process can repeat many times but everyone has the chance to get one and feel happy," she said.

Thomas, a Catholic layman in southern China, also runs an online store and withheld his last name. He gives out digital red envelopes in chat groups "but just for fun."

Even though he lives far away from his hometown, Thomas said he still would not give out digital red envelopes. "I only gave out three last year," he said.

"I still prefer the tradition of giving lucky money in person. I give envelops to young people when they say congratulatory words to me and my family," he said.

He admitted the expense is greater but said that it makes "the New Year atmosphere merrier."

 

Two digital red envelopes labelled with traditional New Year greetings. The two smaller red envelopes show they have been received. (ucanews.com photo)

 

Digital envelopes make a convenient donation

Catholics also use digital red envelopes to give donations to the church and church-run projects.

Father Stephen Chen in central Henan province said that his parishioners mostly donate in cash and those who are far away from the diocese donate via digital red envelopes as it is more convenient than other ways of sending money.  

The priest said that he does not have a preference as he needs cash for daily expenses and bank deposits for other transactions.

Despite the convenience, Father Chen has no intention to set up Wechat groups specifically for donations as the internet environment is "a bit messy."

Father Paul, an underground priest from Wenzhou in eastern Zhejiang province, welcomes donations in cash or digital forms. But he would put a remark on the ledger for digital gifts, he said.

Cash donations tend to be more, about 100 yuan or so for a Mass intention. We have more elderly faithful in our parish and they do not know how to make digital offerings, the priest added.

Help UCA News to be independent
Dear reader,
Lent is the season during which catechumens make their final preparations to be welcomed into the Church.
Each year during Lent, UCA News presents the stories of people who will join the Church in proclaiming that Jesus Christ is their Lord. The stories of how women and men who will be baptized came to believe in Christ are inspirations for all of us as we prepare to celebrate the Church's chief feast.
Help us with your donations to bring such stories of faith that make a difference in the Church and society.
A small contribution of US$5 will support us continue our mission…
William J. Grimm
Publisher
UCA News
Asian Bishops
Latest News
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia