Lunar New Year, Hui Chun 揮春 – Lucky MessageStory by Regina Fung. Can you imagine what Hui Chun (揮春) be like in 2090? They may be in any shapes, on different kinds of materials, with peculiar customized design, for inexhaustible purposes, etc. Or, Hui Chun is no longer a piece of paper that can be pinned up on a wall; they exist only in the virtual world that people send via the Internet? Will the future generations know that the original Hui Chun (lucky message) combines the art of calligraphy and the versatility of Chinese language? Do people preserve the Chinese tradition, like writing Hui Chun and sending these warm wishes to their families? On a deeper level, will filial piety be cherished or embraced by the Chinese people in Hong Kong, in the next century or so? Incidentally, what is “Hui Chun”? To prepare for the Lunar New Year, people clean up their homes, decorate their rooms with blossoms of plants, and fill their places with delicacies and traditional food for the celebration of the New Year. For families that practice the rituals of Lunar New Year, members write down, with Chinese ink, their New Year’s wishes on pieces of red papers. These rectangular red papers (11cm x 43cm) with small messages in black characters are called “Hui Chun”. People hang the papers around their homes and offices. The wishes are usually in four words, stating the messages that depend on occasion and circumstance. The wishes may be asking for abundance (年年有餘), safety (老少平安), good health (龍馬精神), prosperity (財源廣進), good fortune (萬事勝意), wealth (恭喜發財), luck (大吉大利), etc. Some are special wishes for the elderly, students, businessmen; even for gamblers (狗馬亨通).  Hui Chun揮春 – Lucky Message 2006 (From Nic to Grandparents)
The above photo, the first of my four images, shows the Hui Chuns being pinned up on the wall of my parents’ home. My adorable nephew Nic, one of my favourite people, writes those small messages. These Hui Chuns are important to me because they represent a particular phase of my nephew’s childhood. Once he grows up, his writings will mature and he can no longer write such cute and sweet characters. Moreover, those lucky messages are meaningful for they carry the warm wishes that are sent by my nephew to my parents, with love. According to Chinese tradition, filial piety is precious and valuable, this notion of virtue should be passed on from generation to generation. Hui Chun, originally a domestic tradition, also serves a commercial function. Nowadays, it is a means for promotion or advertising. Mass prints of Hui Chun, with sophisticated and attractive design, are now available as mechandise or gift items. To name just a few, corporations, banks, and political parties use Hui Chun to reach the targeted audience and to express their gratitude. In addition, Hui Chun is now produced in various shapes and sizes; some are printed on both sides of the paper to maximise costs and to provide choices. To have a glimpse of the varieties of the modern Hui Chun, please let me show you three images as below. These customised Hui Chuns introduce us something about Chinese culture.  Hui Chun揮春 – Lucky Message (May your Home be filled with Riches and Opulence)
The above sample, the 2nd image of this series, is an example of a bank’s Hui Chun. The design has incorporated some cartoon image of pigs, (to symbolise richness), into the structure of the Chinese characters and included some paws as the background pattern of the square paper. These small decorative figures have added much vitality to the lucky message, creating a more interesting layout.  Hui Chun揮春 – Lucky Message (May your Home be filled with Gold and Silver)
The above sample, the 3rd image of this series, is also a Hui Chun produced by the bank. This design has used a symbol of an ancient Chinese coin to embody gold and silver. The icons, in big and small, have enhanced the lucky message. The background with the coin symbol is consistent with the image of a bank as well. 
Hui Chun揮春 – Lucky Message (May All your Wishes Come True)
The above sample, the last image of this series, is a Hui Chun printed by a political party. This lucky message has used the traditional size and layout, and the design is relatively conservative. There is a pair of “brackets” in the opposite corners. It is a kind of paper-cutting pattern of Chinese art, commonly found in New Year’s decorative items. Floral patterns fill the paper background to add some Chinese flavour too. The story behind Lunar New Year, Hui Chun: http://www.23hq.com/Memory_capsule/photo417679 Apart from the creativity of the commercial world, Hong Kong children also have novel ideas of Hui Chun. They construct their own versions of New Year messages, reflecting their wishes for the coming year. As the contemporary music culture of the teenagers is just about idols, youngsters use the names of their favourite singers as the New Year wishes, e.g. 側田衛蘭 (names of the top young male and female singers). Other examples include their wishes for winning a debate competition (中辯屈機); for getting good results in the public examinations (會考九A, 科科奪A). It is interesting to note the kind of colloquial expression they use in writing Hui Chuns. e.g. “屈機” means “winning landslide victory”. Hui Chun揮春 – (From Nic to Grandparents): http://www.23hq.com/Memory_capsule/photo/417688 |
