From mandarin trees to firecrackers, find out what all the Chinese New Year decorations really mean.
Every year, Chinese New Year is one of the biggest public holidays in Hong Kong. That means it’s prime time for you to spend quality time with your family at home, or head out to feast on the scrumptious festive menus. With beautiful installations popping up across the 852, find out the meaning behind these Chinese New Year decorations and discover what will help you usher in good luck this Lunar New Year.
Learn about Chinese New Year decorations
1. Chinese firecrackers
Traditionally, people lit firecrackers in front of homes and stores to drive evil spirits away with loud noises. While real firecrackers (炮仗) are now hard to come by in Hong Kong (except for certain parts of the New Territories), you’ll still see paper, plastic, or even electronic Chinese firecrackers strung up outside many business establishments during Chinese New Year.
2. Paper cuttings
Paper cuttings are designs cut out of red paper, and are typically glued on windows or other transparent surfaces. The designs tend to be Chinese characters and images that are auspicious, such as fruits like mandarins and kumquat, as well as zodiac animals that reflect the year. The meaning behind these Chinese New Year decorations vary depending on the character, fruit, and animal featured. That being said, many of them represents longevity, honour, wealth, and prosperity.
3. Door couplets
These red and golden banners have messages of prosperity, good fortune, good health, and good luck. Door couplets tend to be indoors, such as in the living room, but they can also be found at the entrances to homes, shops, schools, businesses, and more.
4. Upside-down fuk
The character fuk (福, pronounced as fook) means good fortune. When it’s placed upside down, it symbolises the arrival of luck, since the Cantonese for “upside down” (倒) sounds similar to “arrive” (到). The fuk character is usually written on a piece of diamond-shaped red paper and placed at the entrances of homes and businesses, but it’s also common to hang them indoors.
5. Chinese lanterns
Chinese red lanterns (燈籠) are typically used during the most prominent festivals, like the Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival. Though these lanterns are not as popular during Chinese New Year, you’ll still be able to find them hung outside the doors of some shops and homes in the new year. Chinese lanterns are hung to symbolise happiness and are believed to drive out any bad luck. These are one of the most iconic Chinese New Year decorations that you’ll see across the city.
6. Kumquat and mandarin trees
Kumquat (柑桔), in Cantonese, is phonetically transcribed as gum gut. And these two characters happen to sound the same as the words for “gold” (金) and “luck” (吉). Similarly, mandarin (桔) in Cantonese sounds the same as “luck” (吉). The meaning behind these Chinese New Year decorations is that kumquat trees and mandarin trees symbolise wealth, luck, and prosperity. This is why people often decorate their homes and businesses with them during Lunar New Year.
7. Red packets
During Lunar New Year, this is something that everyone loves to see. Red packets, or Lai See (利是), is a crowd-pleaser for what they contain! These intricately adorned packets are used to hold money and typically given by the married to their younger relatives as a sign of good luck and prosperity. In addition, you’ll also find red packets hung on kumquat and mandarin trees as decorations to symbolise extra wealth.
8. Cherry blossoms, plum blossoms, and orchids
Cherry blossoms, plum blossoms, and orchids are the first flowers to bloom after winter. That’s why they signify the coming of spring, renewal of life, and a new beginning – all of which are what Lunar New Year is about! What’s more, the long branches of these flowers symbolise longevity. No wonder why these plants are prominent Chinese New Year decorations.
Look out for these spring blooms with our guide on where to see cherry blossoms in Hong Kong and beyond.
9. Chinese candy box
The Chinese candy box (全盒) is a favourite Chinese New Year decoration among younger members of the family. After all, who can refuse snacks and sweets? Symbolising togetherness, this box is a must-have for many families. Traditionally, you’ll find candies and treats like candied lotus root and melon seeds in the box, each carrying its own auspicious associations. Nowadays, chocolate coins, White Rabbit candy, and Starbursts also make common box fillers. While classic candy boxes are made of lacquerware, it’s more common to find plastic ones today.
