TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Presidential Office unveiled on Monday the design for Lunar New Year’s couplet, red envelope, and gift pouch, all of which will be given away as a tradition to celebrate the coming Lunar New Year’s holidays with the public.
In celebration of the Year of the Pig, designers Tian Xiu-quan (田修銓) and Hu You-ming (胡祐銘) took inspiration of pigs and the word “blessing” in Mandarin. Their design for the red envelope thus symbolizes good luck and the notion that “everything will be all right.”
► The Presidential Office unveils the design for Lunar New Year’s couplet, red envelope, and gift pouch on Jan. 14 (Source: CNA)
The spring couplet, printed with the signature of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), reads “Happy New Year” in Mandarin. The greeting, which almost every one uses to wish people a happy New Year, was originally composed by President Tsai’s calligrapher Yang Shu-wan (楊淑婉).
► The Presidential Office unveils the design for Lunar New Year’s couplet, red envelope, and gift pouch on Jan. 14 (Source: CNA)
In addition to the appearance of a golden pig and message symbolizing good luck on the outside, the presidential gift pouch, designed this year by Chen Pei-chi (陳佩琦), features the sunrise scenery of Yushan and bouquets of peony and chrysanthemum flowers on the inside pages, to represent a good start, prosperity, as well as affluence.
Chang Wen-lan (張文蘭), spokesperson for the Presidential Office, said people can get the spring couplet banner and red envelope at the Presidential Office, or regional offices of the Executive Yuan across Taiwan and outlying islands, starting Tuesday.
The 330,000 gift pouches, on the other hand, will be given away in person by the president and vice president when they tour the island during the New Year’s holidays, added Chang.