Hanging prosperity (FU) banners upside down

[Cecil Lee]

Yes! We are BRITISH! And not Chinese!
So why are you still hanging the PROSPERITY sign upside down? COPY CAT!

Quote

On 11/4/2010 8:33:35 AM, Anonymous wrote:
SOURCE & CREDIT: THE
STRAITS TIMES, SINGAPORE:
FEBRUARY 5, 2005FICTION:
Hanging prosperity (FU)
banners upside down.
1. In the Han dynasty (206BC
to AD25), people sent New Year
cards or posters to friends or
relatives with calligraphy
greetings like fu, which means
prosperity.
2. If the recipient was not at
home, the messenger would
paste the card or poster
upside down on the door, to
signal that prosperity had
arrived at the household.
3. This was a clever pun
because dao, the Chinese word
for "upside down", sounded
like the Chinese word for
"arrived".
4. Today, the practice of
hanging fu banners upside down
harks from Taiwan, where it is
widespread. But it's not
strictly accurate.
5. In ancient China, the
receipient usually removed the
upside-down greeting and hung
it right side up indoors. That
symbolised that he had
accepted the arrival of
prosperity.

[Cecil Lee]

SOURCE & CREDIT: THE STRAITS TIMES, SINGAPORE: FEBRUARY 5, 2005
FICTION: Hanging prosperity (FU) banners upside down.

1. In the Han dynasty (206BC to AD25), people sent New Year cards or posters to friends or relatives with calligraphy greetings like fu, which means prosperity.

2. If the recipient was not at home, the messenger would paste the card or poster upside down on the door, to signal that prosperity had arrived at the household.

3. This was a clever pun because dao, the Chinese word for "upside down", sounded like the Chinese word for "arrived".

4. Today, the practice of hanging fu banners upside down harks from Taiwan, where it is widespread. But it's not strictly accurate.

5. In ancient China, the receipient usually removed the upside-down greeting and hung it right side up indoors. That symbolised that he had accepted the arrival of prosperity.