Double Happiness (calligraphy)

Double happiness on a woven mat

Double Happiness (simplified Chinese: 双喜; traditional Chinese: 雙喜; pinyin: shuāngxǐ) sometimes translated as Double Happy, is a Chinese traditional ornament design, commonly used as a decoration and symbol of marriage. Outside of China, it is also used in United States, Europe and Southeast Asia.

Old matchboxes with double happiness design

Characteristics

Double Happiness is a ligature, "囍" composed of 喜喜 – two copies of the Chinese characters 喜 ( xǐ) literally meaning joy, compressed to assume the square shape of a standard Chinese character (much like a real character may consist of two parts), and is pronounced as a polysyllabic Chinese character, being read as 双喜 (shuāngxǐ).

Typically the character "囍" is written in Chinese calligraphy, and frequently appears on traditional decorative items, associated with the lunar new year celebrations. Double happiness symbol also often found all over the wedding ceremony, as well as on gift items given to the bride and groom. The color of the character is usually red, occasionally black.

In popular culture

Nowadays shuāngxǐ (alternative transcriptions, Shuang hsi) is used as a brand names for things like fashion, jewelry, cigarettes, matches, soy sauce, etc. It is also featured as decoration on many items by Chinese luxury brand Shanghai Tang.

Hong Kong lifestyle retail store G.O.D. designs many products themed with the double happiness symbol, including scented candles, accessories and Ming-inspired tableware and tea sets.^[1][2]

Gallery

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  A double happiness character on the door ring of Soong Ching-ling's ancestral home in Wenchang, Hainan
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  A porcelain vase from the Qing Dynasty with double happiness characters
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  Rice bowl cover decorated with a medallion of the double happiness and longevity (Shou) symbol in the center, from Joseon Dynasty Korea
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  A Vietnamese wedding decoration, with a double happiness character
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  Traditional Chinese wedding ceremony, with a double happiness character in the background
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  Palace of Earthly Tranquility (坤宁宫) of the Forbidden City, with traditional Chinese wedding decorations and a double happiness character in the foreground
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  Chinese wedding invitation cards with double happiness characters
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  Chinese wedding invitation card with a double happiness character in the center
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  Double happiness decorations
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  Chinese wedding ceremony teaware, with double happiness characters on them
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  Chinese wedding ceremony teaware
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  Gold jewelry with double happiness character, Hong Kong
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  A traditional Chinese wedding reception, with double happiness decoration in the middle

See also

• Fu character (福), also a common good-luck decorative design boom panes
• Lu character (禄), a Chinese character symbolising prosperity
• Shou character (寿), a Chinese character symbolizing longevity

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shuang xi.

Look up 囍 in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• The Story of the Chinese Character: Double Happiness