the significance of different colors

[kasia]

the color of 'red' is a symbol of luck and happiness in chinese culture. i learned while working in the api unit of the legal aid foundation, however, that its significance varied among the different asian cultures when a korean client freaked out when we filled in her intake form with a red bic pen. apparently, 'red' in korean culture is symbolic of bad luck?

in america, we were black to funerals. in traditional chinese funerals, the family members wear white. what is the significance of the color 'white'?

what other colors hold special meanings?

[SunWuKong]

Originally posted by kasia@Jun 11 2003, 02:46 AM
the color of 'red' is a symbol of luck and happiness in chinese culture. i learned while working in the api unit of the legal aid foundation, however, that its significance varied among the different asian cultures when a korean client freaked out when we filled in her intake form with a red bic pen. apparently, 'red' in korean culture is symbolic of bad luck?

in america, we were black to funerals. in traditional chinese funerals, the family members wear white. what is the significance of the color 'white'?

what other colors hold special meanings?
i want to say that wearing white at traditional chinese funerals is a secularised chinese buddhist thing, but i'm not 100% sure.

i know that black (and gray?) is a colour of mourning in chinese culture though.

[tapestrybabe]

yeah...
this is just what i'm learning on my own...
but in korean culture, under the influence of china... the color system revolves around 5 basic colors-- blue, red, white, black and yellow... which all represent a certain direction and element...

blue representing the east, spring and trees
red representing the south, summer and fire
white representing the west, autumn and metal
black representing the north, winter and water
yellow being the center...

The two yang colors of blue and red balance with the two yin colors of white and black.

[tapestrybabe]

and oh yeah, when it comes to martial arts... the belt color has its own signifigance... each color has a meaning...

White: signifies a birth, or beginning, of a seed. A white belt student is a beginner searching for knowledge of the Art.

Yellow: signifies the first beam of sunlight which shines upon the seed giving it new strength with the beginning of new life. A yellow belt student is given his/her first ray of knowledge, opening his mind, from an instructor.

Green: signifies the growth of the seed as it sprouts from the earth reaching toward the sun and begins to grow into a plant. A green belt student learns to further develop and refine his/her techniques.

Blue: signifies the blue sky as the plant continues to grow toward it. A blue belt student moves up higher in rank just as the plant grows taller. The light feeds the plant so it can continue to grow. The student is fed additional knowledge of the Art in order for his/her body and mind continue to grow and develop.

Red: signifies the red-hot heat of the Sun as the plant continues growing toward it. A red belt student is higher in rank, he/she acquires more detailed knowledge and, just as the plant grows slowly toward the Sun, so the red belt student learns to be more cautious as his/her knowledge and physical abilities increase.

Black: signifies the darkness beyond the Sun. A black belt seeks new knowledge of the Art. As he/she begins to teach others, he/she begins planting new seeds, his/her students, many of which will take root deep into the Art, blossom and grow through the ranks in a never-ending process of self-growth, knowledge, and enlightenment.

[deez nuts]

red is also fertility

in relation to a chinese wedding.

in my case my wife won't be wearing red.

i will be praying to the infertility gods.

[SunWuKong]

Originally posted by tapestrybabe@Jun 11 2003, 04:19 AM
and oh yeah, when it comes to martial arts... the belt color has its own signifigance... each color has a meaning...

White: signifies a birth, or beginning, of a seed. A white belt student is a beginner searching for knowledge of the Art.

Yellow: signifies the first beam of sunlight which shines upon the seed giving it new strength with the beginning of new life. A yellow belt student is given his/her first ray of knowledge, opening his mind, from an instructor.

Green: signifies the growth of the seed as it sprouts from the earth reaching toward the sun and begins to grow into a plant. A green belt student learns to further develop and refine his/her techniques.

Blue: signifies the blue sky as the plant continues to grow toward it. A blue belt student moves up higher in rank just as the plant grows taller. The light feeds the plant so it can continue to grow. The student is fed additional knowledge of the Art in order for his/her body and mind continue to grow and develop.

Red: signifies the red-hot heat of the Sun as the plant continues growing toward it. A red belt student is higher in rank, he/she acquires more detailed knowledge and, just as the plant grows slowly toward the Sun, so the red belt student learns to be more cautious as his/her knowledge and physical abilities increase.

Black: signifies the darkness beyond the Sun. A black belt seeks new knowledge of the Art. As he/she begins to teach others, he/she begins planting new seeds, his/her students, many of which will take root deep into the Art, blossom and grow through the ranks in a never-ending process of self-growth, knowledge, and enlightenment.
hmm... in Judo the belt colours go like this:

white
yellow
orange
green
blue
brown
black

with 3 stripes on each post-white, pre-black belt.

[luv]

my mom forbade me to wear black clothing and anything black, white, yellow, or navy in my hair. think its because black white and navy are mourning colors, never figured out yellow....

[SunWuKong]

Originally posted by luv@Jun 11 2003, 03:43 PM
my mom forbade me to wear black clothing and anything black, white, yellow, or navy in my hair. think its because black white and navy are mourning colors, never figured out yellow....
navy is a mourning colour? what ethnicity are you?

[YuheiCarreau]

Originally posted by luv@Jun 11 2003, 01:43 PM
my mom forbade me to wear black clothing and anything black, white, yellow, or navy in my hair. think its because black white and navy are mourning colors, never figured out yellow....
Perhaps you're more of an autumn.

[luv]

Originally posted by SunWuKung@Jun 11 2003, 01:54 PM
navy is a mourning colour? what ethnicity are you?
I'm Chinese, but i guess my mom is really superstitious and culturally unbiased therefore we adhere to many Asian traditions even though they may not be chinese. Think dark navy closely resembles black, therefore considered mourning color.

[Faithless]

<!--QuoteBegin-Chasiubao_Boy+Jun 11 2003, 04:35 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Chasiubao_Boy @ Jun 11 2003, 04:35 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> red is also fertility
in relation to a chinese wedding.
in my case my wife won't be wearing red.
i will be praying to the infertility gods. [/b][/quote]
Meaning what? You don't want to get her pregnant on your wedding night?

Kids aren't bad. :(

[amietron]

Deep purple is the emperial color in Japan.

[seanp]

<!--QuoteBegin-amietron+Aug 10 2003, 04:30 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (amietron @ Aug 10 2003, 04:30 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Deep purple is the emperial color in Japan. [/b][/quote]
purple is also a royal viet color...

Yellow is the most important color in viet.. The south vietnamese flag (before the communist regime took over) was yellow in the background with three red stripes..

The yellow background is the color of the Nguyen House, also is the color of the element Earth, and signifies the south.

[sageb1]

yeah...
this is just what i'm learning on my own...
but in korean culture, under the influence of china... the color system revolves around 5 basic colors-- blue, red, white, black and yellow... which all represent a certain direction and element...

blue representing the east, spring and trees
red representing the south, summer and fire
white representing the west, autumn and metal
black representing the north, winter and water
yellow being the center...

The two yang colors of blue and red balance with the two yin colors of white and black.
From my research, wearing white at funerals represents respect for the Pure Land is supposed to be, far to the west, a Buddhist paradise to aspiring bodhisattvas to go to listen to Amida Buddha before returning to this earthly plane to help other Buddhists to the Pure Land.

[Seamus]

the color of 'red' is a symbol of luck and happiness in chinese culture. i learned while working in the api unit of the legal aid foundation, however, that its significance varied among the different asian cultures when a korean client freaked out when we filled in her intake form with a red bic pen. apparently, 'red' in korean culture is symbolic of bad luck?


No, no, no! Red is indeed an auspicious color in some Asian cultures, but you shouldn't ever write anything in red. It's considered to be threatening. Like, if you were writing a death threat or challenging somebody to a duel or something like that, you might write it in red. I don't think this is just an Asian thing. It's not a good idea to write in red in any country, unless you're making corrections on a paper. Guess why debts used to be written in "red ink"?

[hooligan]

red is also fertility

in relation to a chinese wedding.

in my case my wife won't be wearing red.

i will be praying to the infertility gods. please CSB, don't procreate. for all our sakes.

i almost forgot to add something constructive:

my mom tells me to avoid black, she tells me dark places attract "dirty" things. like ghosts, i'm not entirely sure it's superstition or my mom's just scaring me into wearing brighter colors.

[deez nuts]

wearing a green hat. it means your significant other is cheating on you.

and hooligan you're 21 years old. it's time to stop letting your mommy tell you what you can or cannot wear.

[hooligan]

wearing a green hat. it means your significant other is cheating on you.

and hooligan you're 21 years old. it's time to stop letting your mommy tell you what you can or cannot wear.
i thought wearing green means your horny, : ( but she still buys all my clothes and writes my name on all my tighty whities.

[BigLew]

Make a statement to your mom and go commando.

[yoMAMA]

wearing a green hat. it means your significant other is cheating on you.

and hooligan you're 21 years old. it's time to stop letting your mommy tell you what you can or cannot wear.

haha....chinese superstitions!

I remember my folks used to tell me not to wear my miami dolphin hat....cauz it's....green!

:rolleyes:

[kuilong]

No, no, no! Red is indeed an auspicious color in some Asian cultures, but you shouldn't ever write anything in red. It's considered to be threatening. Like, if you were writing a death threat or challenging somebody to a duel or something like that, you might write it in red. I don't think this is just an Asian thing. It's not a good idea to write in red in any country, unless you're making corrections on a paper. Guess why debts used to be written in "red ink"?

I believe during the Cultural revolution, almost all publications (including scientific papers!) had to include quotes from Chairman Mao, which were printed in red type.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

The traditional Chinese belief that wearing black (or all black at least) is bad luck or only fit for times of tragedy such as funerals is ironic just seeing all the Chinese college students (and other Asians) sporting the standard Banana Republic, Eddie Bauer, or Express gear with the black overcoats and dark grayish to black pants and black shoes or whatever (at least during the winter). During the summer it gets better cause everything turns to black skirts and tops.

No, no, no! Red is indeed an auspicious color in some Asian cultures, but you shouldn't ever write anything in red. It's considered to be threatening. Like, if you were writing a death threat or challenging somebody to a duel or something like that, you might write it in red. I don't think this is just an Asian thing. It's not a good idea to write in red in any country, unless you're making corrections on a paper. Guess why debts used to be written in "red ink"?

At least in Western or American culture(s), I always thought that writing in red meant that you were signifying or insinuating that you wanted to break up, end, separate, sever ties, etc. regardless of the type of relationship it is with the person (e.g. girlfriend, friend, whatever).

[deez nuts]

i thought wearing green means your horny, : ( but she still buys all my clothes and writes my name on all my tighty whities.

a trite and hackneyed comeback. i expected better from you.

here's one i learned from my pops when i was a kid: don't wrap b-day presents in all white wrapping paper. it kinda means death on the recipient.

[>:^|]

... but you shouldn't ever write anything in red. It's considered to be threatening.

I don't know about all Asian countries, but this is certainly true with Chinese. I found this out by writing notes on a translator's work. I used red pen because typically that's the color proofreaders in the States use and I was told by several people that this was considered extremely rude.

Fortunately, the people who told me knew that U.S. convention and Chinese convention differ so I wasn't cast from society. :redface:

[NtshiabLiDej]

the color of 'red' is a symbol of luck and happiness in chinese culture. i learned while working in the api unit of the legal aid foundation, however, that its significance varied among the different asian cultures when a korean client freaked out when we filled in her intake form with a red bic pen. apparently, 'red' in korean culture is symbolic of bad luck?

in america, we were black to funerals. in traditional chinese funerals, the family members wear white. what is the significance of the color 'white'?

what other colors hold special meanings?
In my culture, the color white signifies "mourning". Although we do not dress in white clothes at a funeral, all members of the deceased persons' family must tie a white band around their head. It really serves to purposes: 1) it identifies us as members of the deceased person's family, 2) signifies that we are in mourning.

Also, we are prohibited to wear the color red at funerals. Red signifies "happiness" and to wear it during a funeral meant that you are happy the person is dead.