Double Happiness (calligraphy)

For other uses, see Double Happiness (disambiguation).

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.

File:HK Double Happiness Safety Matches 2s.jpg

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 means 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.

Gallery

• 宋氏祖居 02.jpg

  A double happiness character on the door ring of Soong Ching-ling's ancestral home in Wenchang, Hainan

• Hall of China 04.JPG

  A porcelain vase from the Qing Dynasty with double happiness characters

• Blue and White Yi Bowl.png

  Rice bowl cover decorated with a medallion of the double happiness and longevity (Shou) symbol in the center, from Joseon Dynasty Korea

• Vietnamese wedding decoration.JPG

  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

• Forbidden City art collection pic 6.jpg

  Palace of Earthly Tranquility (坤宁宫) of the Forbidden City, with traditional Chinese wedding decorations and a double happiness character in the foreground

• Wedding-invitation-cards.jpg

  Chinese wedding invitation cards with double happiness characters

• Red bomb.jpg

  Chinese wedding invitation card with a double happiness character in the center

• Songhy.jpg

  Double happiness decorations

• HK 海怡半島 South Horizons 住戶俱樂部 Residents Club Chinese 囍 wedding teawave Jan-2013.JPG

  Chinese wedding ceremony teaware, with double happiness characters on them

• Chinese wedding tea.jpg

  Chinese wedding ceremony teaware

• HK TST night Nathan Road Park Lane Shopper's Boulevard Sept-2012 Chow Sang Sang gold.JPG

  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
• Shou character (寿), a Chinese character symbolizing longevity

External links

• The Story of the Chinese Character: Double Happiness