The Chinese character 福, pronounced fú or fù, is one of the most common symbols seen during the Chinese New Year festivities. This character symbolizes luck and prosperity, and is traditionally painted on doorways of homes and businesses to encourage good fortune throughout the coming year. But why has this tradition become so important to Chinese culture? Let’s take a closer look.
The Meaning of 福fu
The character 福 is composed of four parts: 礻 (shì) – spirit; altar, 一 (yi) – one, 口 (kǒu) – mouth,田(tián)-field, land.
The first part, 礻 (shì), refers to the god or spirit. The top stroke represents the offerings on the altar table. The second part, 一(yi), means one and refers to each individual person receiving the blessing. The third part, 口(kǒu), means mouth and refers to speaking the words of blessing. The fourth part, 田(tián), means field and land. The land people rely on to make a living. Thus, the meaning behind the Chinese character for 福 is asking god’s blessing for each person to have a field/land where they can make a living and be prosperous.
Legends Behind the Tradition
There are many legends behind why painting 福fu became such an important part of Chinese culture during new years celebrations. One legend tells how a god came down from heaven in disguise, looking for somewhere to rest but no one would let him in because they did not recognize him as divine. Eventually, he found a poor old man who welcomed him into his home without hesitation. As thanks, the god wrote “福” on the man’s door to bring him good fortune in all that he did.
Similarly, another legend speaks of an old couple who lived in poverty until one day when a god showed mercy upon them by writing “福” on their doorstep—bringing them wealth and good luck!
Bring Good Luck into Your Life
Today, when you see someone painting 福fu on their doorway during new year celebrations it is believed that they are inviting good fortune into their home and life for the upcoming year. And you can do this too! Whether you choose to decorate your doorstep with traditional red paint or simply hang up decorations featuring this lucky character, there are plenty of ways to bring good luck and prosperity into your life by displaying the symbol of 福fu.
The Chinese character 福fú is an incredibly powerful symbol for bringing luck and prosperity into your life. With its origins dating back thousands of years ago as a way for farmers to ensure a successful harvest season, it’s no wonder why this tradition has become such an integral part of Chinese culture during new year celebrations today! So if you’re looking for some extra luck in your life this New Year’s Day, consider painting 福fu on your doorway or hanging decorations featuring this lucky character—it just might make all the difference!
When writing the character 福 (fú), it is traditional to combine zodiac animal ink art to signify the year. 2023 is the year of the rabbit. This can be done by either painting a rabbit next to the character, or by using rabbit-shaped ink blocks when writing out the character. By incorporating this art into your New Year’s writing, you are bringing good luck and prosperity into your life for the coming year!
