Make way for the Tiger, as we usher in a new lunar year on Feb 1. It’s the time of the year again for Chinese folks all around the world to come together and celebrate the most important festivity of the year. It is a celebration that has a deep historical meaning and today remains the binding glue that reunites families together. It is also a time for new beginning and hope for luck, wealth and prosperity abound.
There are many traditions and symbolisms that comes with Chinese New Year. But the one that intrigues me most is the excess display of gold (where possible). I remember my childhood where the day before Chinese New Year, my mother would ‘retrieve’ all her secret gold stash and I know I will get to adorn my ‘heirloom’ pieces for a few days before it gets hidden away again. For me, a grandiose dragon necklace being my piece-de-resistance is synonymous to all the pomp and excitement of Chinese New Year. An oxymoron really, because when I was younger, I find gold jewelleries ostentatious and loud. But most Chinese seem to be stacking up as much as they can during the celebration because it signifies abundance of wealth and prosperity.
Apparently, buying ‘something gold’ is a real and enduring new year tradition in China. It’s considered a sign of good luck or fortune to look forward to in the new year. This can be attributed to the fact that gold in the past, it’s a colour that’s been associated with the supremacy of Chinese emperors. This coupled with the fact that most people will receive a year-end bonus means more reason to get a new gold jewellery. This tradition is finding a stronger foothold with the younger generation in China in recent years and this has been picked up even by the Financial Times. Dubbed ‘heritage gold jewellery’, this trend refers to the demand on gold accessories depicting traditional symbols such as dragons and phoenixes. Fuelled by patriotism and increased cultural appreciation (supported by social movement such as the Hanfu movement), these young consumers are embracing more traditional Chinese culture in their daily lives.
A salesperson poses with Heritage Gold jewellery at jeweller Chow Tai Fook’s retail store in Shanghai, China August 18, 2021. Picture taken August 18, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song
Anyway, enough about the factual context. For this year of the Tiger, are you brandishing your collection of gold jewellery from yesteryear or are you thinking to buy some new trinkets? Why not look at your collection with a different lens – how can you turn it contemporary yet classy? Have your personality imprint on the pieces and weave memories for each Chinese New Year to come.
