Chinese Culture：hónɡ lǐnɡdài 红领带

Dānɡ wǒmen kàn zhònɡyānɡdiànshìtái de xīnwén liánbō de shíhou, wǒmen chánɡchánɡ huì fāxiàn, zhōnɡɡuó línɡdǎorén jīnɡchánɡ dài hónɡ lǐnɡdài. Wèishénme zhōnɡɡuó línɡdǎorén xǐhuɑn xì hónɡ lǐnɡdài?
当我们看中央电视台的新闻联播的时候，我们常常会发现，中国领导人经常戴红领带。为什么中国领导人喜欢系红领带？
When we watch the News Feeds in CCTV, you may find that Chinese leaders always wear red ties. Why do Chinese leaders like red ties?

Chónɡshànɡ hónɡsè shì zhōnɡhuá mínzú wǔqiānduōnián wénmínɡ de chuántǒnɡ. Gǔrén rènwéi hónɡsè láiyuányú tàiyánɡ, lièrì rú huǒ, suóyǐ zhōnɡɡuórén de zǔxiān duì yánɡɡuānɡ yǒu yìzhǒnɡ běnnénɡ de yīliàn hé chónɡbài. Tāmen rènwéi zhíyǒu zài hónɡsè tàiyánɡ de zhàoyào xià, wànwù cáinénɡ shēnɡjībóbó. Zài zhèzhǒnɡ wénhuà bèijǐnɡ xià，hónɡhónɡ-huohuǒ de hónɡsè jiù zìránérrán dì chǎnshēnɡle xǐqìnɡ hé jíxiánɡ zhī yì。
崇尚红色是中华民族五千多年文明的传统。古人认为红色来源于太阳，烈日如火，所以中国人的祖先对阳光有一种本能的依恋和崇拜。他们认为只有在红色太阳的照耀下，万物才能生机勃勃。在这种文化背景下，红红火火的红色就自然而然地产生了喜庆和吉祥之意。
Venerating the color red is a tradition of the Chinese people’s five-thousand-year-old civilization. Ancient Chinese believed that red came from the sun, and because the sun is like fire, people felt attached to the sun and worshiped it instinctively. They believed that only with the red illumination of the sun could something be full of vigor. With this cultural context, the color red naturally adopted the connotation of happiness and auspiciousness.

Zài hànyǔ lǐ，“hónɡ” jīnɡchánɡ shì chénɡɡōnɡ de xiànɡzhēnɡ. Shìyè kāitóu shùnlì jiào “kāimén hónɡ”, shòudào shànɡjí shǎnɡshí de rén jiào “hónɡrén”, yǒumínɡ de ɡēxīnɡ jiào “dānɡhónɡ ɡēxīnɡ”, yùnqi fēichánɡ hǎo jiào “zǒu hónɡyùn”. “hónɡ” yě dàibiǎo zhe jíxiánɡ, qínɡjiǎn shì hónɡsè de, ɡuānɡrónɡ bǎnɡ shì hónɡsè de, biǎozhānɡ xiānjìn rénwù yào dài dà hónɡ huā, yāsuìqián yào yònɡ hónɡzhǐ bāo, xīnniánɡzǐ yào chuān hónɡyī zuò hónɡjiào, běnmìnɡnián yào xì hónɡ yāodài děnɡ, chūnjié yě yào tiē hónɡsè chūnlián, fànɡ hónɡsè biānpào.
在汉语里，“红”经常是成功的象征。事业开头顺利叫“开门红”,受到上级赏识的人叫“红人”，有名的歌星叫“当红歌星”，运气非常好叫“走红运”。“红”也代表着吉祥，请柬是红色的，光荣榜是红色的，表彰先进人物要戴大红花，压岁钱要用红纸包，新娘子要穿红衣坐红轿，本命年要系红腰带等，春节也要贴红色春联，放红色鞭炮。
In Chinese, the word for red (红) is often used to symbolize success. Starting a career smoothly is called “开门红;” one who earns the appreciation of superiors is deemed a “红人;” famous singers are known as “当红歌星;” having extremely good luck is called “走红运.” Red also represents auspiciousness: invitations and honor rolls are red, red flowers are worn to commend success, money given during Spring Festival is presented in red envelopes, and brides wear red dresses and are carried in red sedan chairs. During the zodiac year of one’s birth, one should wear a red belt. Also, during Spring Festival, Chinese people paste messages in red paper on their doorframes and set off firecrackers wrapped in red paper.

Hónɡsè záo yǐ chénɡwéile zhōnɡɡuó de “ɡuósè”. 2005 nián 11 yuè 28 rì, zhōnɡɡuó ɡuójiā zhǔxí Hújǐntāo fǎnɡwèn yīnɡɡuó, yīnɡɡuó nǚwánɡ Elizabeth II tèyì chuānle yìshēn hónɡsè yīfu chūlái yínɡjiē, lián tā dài de màozi dōu shì hónɡsè de, biǎoxiànle zhèwèi nǚwánɡ duì zhōnɡɡuó ɡuójiā yuánshǒu nǎizhì zhōnɡɡuó hé zhōnɡɡuó wénhuà de jìnɡyì.
红色早已成为了中国的“国色”。2005年11月28日，中国国家主席胡锦涛访问英国，英国女王伊丽莎白二世特意穿了一身红色衣服出来迎接，连她戴的帽子都是红色的，表现了这位女王对中国国家元首乃至中国和中国文化的敬意。
Red has long been China’s national color. On November 28th, 2005, Chinese President Hu Jintao visited England. British Queen Elizabeth II deliberately dressed entirely in red clothes, including her hat, to show respect for the Chinese head of state and for Chinese culture.

Keywords:
红领带 hónɡ lǐnɡdài：red ties
新闻联播 xīnwén liánbō: the News Feeds
吉祥 jíxiánɡ：auspiciousness
衣服 yīfu： clothes
帽子 màozi：hat