What is Hongbao?
{{no sources}} '''Hóngbāo''' ({{Lang-zh|s=红包|t=紅包}}) or '''red envelope''' is an [[envelope]] with money inside. In [[China]], people give the envelope as a gift for special occasions. The red envelopes are most commonly given to children or single/unmarried adults during the Chinese New Year celebration, where Chinese families often gather together.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hongbao (China) - Global Informality Project|url=https://www.in-formality.com/wiki/index.php?title=Hongbao_(China)|access-date=2021-09-04|website=www.in-formality.com}}</ref> The red packet is also called “money warding off old age” (压岁钱; ''yāsuì qián'') during [[Chinese New Year]]. Outside of China, similar customs have been adopted or are traditional across parts of [[Southeast Asia]] and many other countries with a sizable [[Chinese people|ethnic Chinese]] population. In the mid-2010's, a digital equivalent to the practice emerged within messaging apps with mobile wallet systems. == Origin of the hongbao == According to Chinese legend, in ancient times there was a demon or evil fairy named ''Suì'' (祟). Legend says that Sui is totally black, except for its colorless, transparent hands. Sui—according to the said legend—appears every Chinese New Year’s eve and would touch a sleeping child’s head, causing mental illness.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-11|title=The Origin of The Hongbao|url=https://chinamarketadvisor.com/hongbao-the-chinese-red-envelopes/|access-date=2021-09-04|website=China Market Advisor|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=jknotts|date=2021-02-01|title=Battle of the Red Packet: The Meaning Behind the Hongbao We All Know and Love|url=https://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2021/02/01/battle-red-packet-meaning-behind-hongbao-we-all-know-and-love|access-date=2021-09-04|website=www.thebeijinger.com|language=EN}}</ref> This is why Chinese New Year celebration is practiced by staying up late during the new year’s eve, called ''Shousui'' or translated as “waiting for Sui”. So, the elderly people started to thread coins with a red str