2016年CRI Hongbao, Chinese Red Envelop Goes Digital

 

"Did you get a hongbao?" seems to be the question on everyone's lips these days. The tradition is as strong as ever.

But its origins are steeped in history. Long ago it was seen as a means of protecting children from evil spirits. That evolved into more general best wishes and a blessing¹ on the young. Today it's regarded as a way of bestowing² good fortune for the year ahead.

And as with all things, it seems - hongbao has gone digital, becoming a huge internet phenomenon.

The war is on to grab digital cash using your cellphone.

"I got 1.8 yuan, it's fun."

"I didn't get any, I am too slow."

Electronic or e-hongbao was launched by social networking services such as WeChat and Sina Weibo, and Internet companies like Alibaba and Baidu.

On WeChat for example, users can receive a hongbao sent by friends or companies. The money that arrives with the electronic hongbao is then deposited in your WeChat wallet.

The e-Hongbao can be sent to one person, or can be received by several people at the same time.

Let's face it, everyone wants to get money for free, but are these virtual monetary³ gifts overshadowing the true meaning of the holiday?

Family reunion, fireworks and dumplings: Chinese New Year is bursting with traditions. But when it comes to e-Hongbao, 45 year old social worker Guo Jing says it's just not the same.

"When I was young, the elder gave money to the younger generation wrapped in red paper, to wish them luck in the New Year. The amount of money is all about blessings⁴, using round numbers like 50 and 100, not like the e-Hongbao on Wechat platform nowadays, where you can just pick up a few yuan."

But what impact will this new technological⁵ trend have on the true meaning of the holiday? Some older people complain that their young relatives are so obsessed⁶ with digital hongbao that what they do all day is check their mobile phones, when they are supposed to be spending quality time with their family.

Regardless of these criticisms, the e-Hongbao is still seen as a big business opportunity during the holiday season.

Online giants Tencent's Wechat, Baidu and Alibaba are all competing to see who can make their virtual Hongbao the most popular in the country.

WeChat says there were more than 1 billion transactions of electronic hongbao on Chinese New Year's Eve, last year.

And Alibaba says more than 100 million people were lured⁷ to a hongbao-grabbing promotion⁸ on the company's mobile online payment App.

Financial columnist⁹, Li Bo, says online transactions and payments are the way of the future, and more money grabbing gimmicks¹⁰ will pop up as competition between internet service providers heats up.

"Hongbao is a good marketing¹¹ tool for all companies, meanwhile, users can benefit from it, while getting to know their product. I see hongbao as a new type of advertisement. I think there will be more funny ways of giving and receiving hongbao with innovation, and as personalities¹² add their dimension to the money game."

Inevitably¹³, as the e-hongbao craze sweeps across all social platforms, scams and traps are sneaking¹⁴ in.

Some people have even fallen victim to scammers and suffered losses.

So remember - at the end of the day, the Chinese New Year holiday is supposed to be a time to relax and enjoy being with your family.

Don't let the e-hongbao, or any social media for that matter, take over your life.

Even so, if you are in the mood to have some fun, maybe you should probably check your phone right now, in case a Hongbao opportunity is waiting for you.

For CRI, I'm Min Rui.

1 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

2 bestowing   

砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖

参考例句：

• Apollo, you see, is bestowing the razor on the Triptolemus of our craft. 你瞧，阿波罗正在把剃刀赠给我们这项手艺的特里泼托勒默斯。
• What thanks do we not owe to Heaven for thus bestowing tranquillity, health and competence! 我们要谢谢上苍，赐我们的安乐、健康和饱暖。

3 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

4 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

6 obsessed   

adj.心神不宁的,鬼迷心窍的,沉迷的

参考例句：

• He's obsessed by computers. 他迷上了电脑。
• The fear of death obsessed him throughout his old life. 他晚年一直受着死亡恐惧的困扰。

7 lured   

吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The child was lured into a car but managed to escape. 那小孩被诱骗上了车，但又设法逃掉了。
• Lured by the lust of gold,the pioneers pushed onward. 开拓者在黄金的诱惑下，继续奋力向前。

8 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

9 columnist   

n.专栏作家

参考例句：

• The host was interviewing a local columnist.节目主持人正在同一位当地的专栏作家交谈。
• She's a columnist for USA Today.她是《今日美国报》的专栏作家。

10 gimmicks   

n.花招，诡计，骗人的玩意儿( gimmick的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Financial institutions are also often expected yield of gimmicks. 金融机构也往往以预期收益率为噱头。 来自互联网
• However these are just marketing gimmicks that propagate the myth. 然而这些只是噱头的营销传播的神话。 来自互联网

11 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

12 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

13 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

14 sneaking   

a.秘密的，不公开的

参考例句：

• She had always had a sneaking affection for him. 以前她一直暗暗倾心于他。
• She ducked the interviewers by sneaking out the back door. 她从后门偷偷溜走，躲开采访者。