The red packet is China most common form of blessing: elders give yasui qian at Spring Festival, and red packets appear at weddings, first-month celebrations, birthdays and business openings, with lucky amounts.
Numbers: 6 and 8 are lucky (smooth sailing, making a fortune); 4 is unlucky (sounds like "death"). 100-200 yuan for casual friends, 500-1,000 for close relations - crisp new bills in a red envelope is most proper.
Digital red packets are now everywhere: WeChat and Alipay both support them, and grabbing packets in group chats at New Year is national entertainment.
Visiting etiquette: bring fruit, pastries or tea as a small gift; change to slippers at the door; when the host pours tea, tap two or three fingers on the table to say thanks (the "koushou" gesture).
Gift taboos: never clocks (sounds like "seeing off the dead"), umbrellas (sounds like "separate") or pears (sounds like "leave"); gifts are usually not opened in front of the giver, and always say thanks.
Reciprocity runs both ways: after someone helps you, treat them to a meal or return a small gift - that is the unspoken code of Chinese social life.
