What is li xi and why red envelopes at Tet?
Li xi is the Vietnamese New Year custom of giving lucky money: elders put money into a small red or deep pink envelope and hand it to children, relatives, and neighbours. The envelope is called a li xi bao, and the money inside is tien li xi. The outside usually carries Chinese characters wishing good fortune, such as "may everything go as you wish" or "prosperity year after year".
The heart of the custom is not the banknote but the act of giving and receiving: adults wish children a good year, children wish adults health and luck. The red envelope is simply the carrier of that wish.
Where does the word "li xi" come from?
There are at least two recorded explanations, and folklorists do not fully agree.
First explanation: "li xi" as "loi thi"
Here, "li" corresponds to the Sino-Vietnamese "loi" (profit, benefit), and "xi" to "thi" (market). Together they form "Loi Thi", meaning to gain profit, money, and luck. On this reading, li xi money is money that brings good fortune to children at the start of the year.
Second explanation: a Tang dynasty legend
This account says the custom dates to the Tang dynasty in China. At New Year, courtiers presented gifts to the emperor to wish the realm a prosperous year. The emperor gave back small gifts wrapped in red cloth. Common people copied the practice, exchanging cakes and sweets, especially for children. Later, because cakes were bulky, people switched to money, and the red cloth became a small, neat red pouch.
Whichever origin one accepts, li xi remains a Vietnamese custom, and both explanations circle the same idea: gaining luck, money, and good fortune, given to children at Tet so they grow up well.
| Explanation | Main content | Emphasis |
|---|---|---|
| "Loi Thi" | "Li" as profit, "xi" as market | Wealth and good luck |
| Tang dynasty legend | Emperor gave gifts wrapped in red cloth | Exchange of goodwill, New Year wishes |
What does the red envelope mean?
Red is not mere decoration. In East Asian thought, red stands for life, fire, joy, and good fortune, and is often used to ward off bad luck. A red envelope is therefore both a container for money and a wish you can see before opening it.
The form matters too: the envelope is small, sealed, and tidy. Money goes inside discreetly, not on display. This discretion turns the amount into a private matter between giver and receiver rather than a public comparison.
Why an envelope instead of bare cash?
Bare cash is a payment. Cash in a red envelope is a blessing with a small gift attached. The envelope keeps the act from looking like a transaction and lets the receiver keep both the wish and the paper.
Why the amount is not the point
Li xi is a ritual of blessing, not a payment. What is given first is the wish and the giver's presence. The money is only the carrier, just as the envelope is only the container.
This is why amounts are often small and chosen for lucky numbers rather than value. A small, crisp note in a red envelope, with a spoken wish, is usually remembered longer than a thick envelope handed over in haste. Comparing amounts ruins the custom: when money becomes the measure, li xi turns from a blessing into a trade.
Who gives and who receives?
There is no strict rule, but common patterns include:
- Grandparents and parents give to children in the family.
- Adults give to children of relatives and neighbours.
- Children may give to grandparents and parents as a New Year greeting.
- Working adults may give to colleagues and partners at the start of the year.
How li xi has changed
Beyond paper envelopes, people now use printed or custom-designed ones, and some send li xi by bank transfer. A transfer keeps the money but loses the red envelope and the hand-to-hand giving, that is, two ritual elements. Some see electronic li xi as convenient for those far away; others see it as diluting the custom. This article takes no side, noting only that the form may change while the core remains a New Year wish.
In short
Li xi is a ritual of blessing in which the red envelope and the money are means, not ends. Understanding this reduces pressure on the giver and comparison by the receiver. The real value of a li xi envelope lies in the wish that comes with it and in the person who gave it.
