Apart from giving the hsiang pao to their children, the women who embroider them by hand may present them to older people as a symbol of respect and filial piety, or to their sweethearts to convey ideas which cannot be expressed in words.
這兩項風俗逐漸合流，演變成用五彩線，繫著一個裝滿艾草、雄黃和檀香粉末混合香料的小布袋，小孩掛著以防毒蟲侵擾，有驅毒避邪的功用，並成為一種保命吉祥的象徵，即為香包。以往，做香包是婦女們表現女紅手藝的最佳機會。