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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: What's the origin of hongbaos?
I know what they're used for (new years, weddings and bribes) but how did this come about?
Origin
There are no clear literary sources from which to trace the origin of the red envelope tradition. In China, during the Qin Dynasty, the elderly would thread coins with a red string. The money was called yāsuì qián (Chinese: 壓歲錢 Chinese: 压岁钱), meaning "money warding off evil spirits", and was believed to protect the elderly from sickness and death.[citation needed] The yāsuì qián was replaced by red envelopes when printing presses became more common. Red envelopes are also referred to as yāsuì qián.
got that form wikipedia.
i think it is a kind of way to drive the dragon away because the Spring Festival in many years ago is a dangerous creature people scared it so they use it to represent like Good Luck