孔院微课堂 | 中国人为何如此喜爱“福”字？
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中国人为何如此喜爱“福”字？
Why are the Chinese people so fond of
the character “福（Fu）”?
//
如果你在春节时来到中国，会发现大街小巷处处都贴着“福”字。贴“福”字是中国的传统年俗，人们在辞旧迎新之际，在门窗贴上“福”字，以祈盼福气的到来。中国人为何如此喜爱“福”字？“福文化”是如何形成、如何演变的？一起来了解一下吧~
Those visiting China during the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) are bound to see the Chinese character “福（Fu）” hung almost everywhere. Pasting up “Fu” is a part of tradiotional New Year’s customs. As the people bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new, they stick the character on doors and windows, as a gesture to invite good fortune. Why are the Chinese people so obsessed with the character “福（Fu）”? How has the “Fu culture” emerged and developed? Let’s take a look together.
1
“福”字的内涵
Connotations of the Chinese Character “福（Fu）”
甲骨文的“福”
“福（Fu）” in Oracle Bone Inscriptions
从甲骨文字形来看，“福”字记录的是人用双手捧着一个装满酒的酒器在祭台前祭祀祈祷的情形。这也是福文化最初的内涵，即：双手捧举酒樽祭祀，祈求获得上天（祖先、神灵）的保佑，实现自己的愿望。
In oracle bone inscriptions, “福（Fu）” is like a person praying in front of a sacrificial altar, holding a full wine vessel with both hands. There comes the initial connotation of Fu culture: offering a sacrifice of wine to pray for blessings of heaven (ancestors and deities) and for fulfillment of one’s wishes.
《诗经》《尚书》《礼记》对“福”的内涵均有记载。如《礼记·祭统》记载：“福者，备也。备者，百顺之名。”
The connotations of Fu are recorded in the Book of Songs, Book of History, and Book of Rites. For example, the Book of Rites says that “Fu means consummation, which in turn means everything goes smoothly.”
经过历史的发展，“福”字慢慢演化出了很多引申义，如“福”“禄”“祥”同义。东汉许慎的《说文解字》中提到：“福，佑也”“禄，福也”“祥，福也”。
With time, Fu gradually took on extended meanings, and became synonymous with the Chinese characters “禄（Lu）” and “祥（Xiang）”. As mentioned in Shuowen Jiezi (An Explication of Written Characters), one of the most important ancient character dictionaries, “Fu means blessings and protection”, “Lu is Fu”, “Xiang is Fu”.
在现代汉语中，“福”字多指“幸福、福气”。
In modern Chinese, “福(Fu)” mainly means “happiness” and “blessings.”
也有许多人把“福”字趣解为：左边是“衣”，右边是“一口田”，意思是有衣服穿、有饭吃，便是“福”。这种解释蕴藏着中国人的生活智慧——知足常乐。
Many would vouch for a witty explication of “福(Fu)”, which says that the radical on the left means “clothing” and that the right half means “a patch of rice paddy”, hence Fu means having oneself clothed and fed. The explanation has sprung from “contentment brings happiness”— a Chinese aphorism about life.
2
贴“福”字
Pasting up the Character “福”
春节期间，很多人家都会在屋门、窗户、墙壁上贴上大大小小的“福”字。有趣的是，人们大多会将“福”字倒过来贴，“倒”与“到”谐音，表示“福到了”。
During the Chinese New Year, many people paste up Fu of varying sizes on their doors, windows, and walls. Interestingly, they often hang the character upside down since the Chinese character for “倒(upside down)” is homonymous with that for “到(arrive)”─“Fu is upside down” would sound the same as “Fu arrives”.
3
纳福门笺
Papercutting for Inviting Good Fortune
门笺是传统的春节门楣吉祥饰物，一般用红纸或彩纸剪刻而成，上有吉祥图案或“福禄寿喜”等字。人们在春节期间将门笺贴挂在门楣上，以祝节纳福。
“Menjian(papercutting)” is a traditional ornament hung on the lintel during the Spring Festival. Usually made of red or colored paper, it features auspicious patterns or the Chinese characters “福（Fu）”“禄（Lu）”“寿（Shou）”“喜（Xi）”. It is hung for celebrating the event and inviting good fortune.
4
五福
Wufu (Five Blessings)
在中国，“五福临门”是家喻户晓的吉祥词。
In China, “五福临门(Wufu Linmen)” (five blessings have descended upon the house) is a household term with auspicious connotations.
《尚书·洪范》记载：“五福：一曰寿，二曰富，三曰康宁，四曰攸好德，五曰考终命。”这是“五福”的最早文献记载。东汉桓谭在《新论》中说，“五福：寿、富、贵、安乐、子孙众多。”
Now the earliest record of Wufu is found in the Book of History, which says that “Wufu refers to longevity, wealth, health, virtuous deeds and natural death.” In the Eastern Han Dynasty (25—220), Huan Tan said in Xinlun (New Discussion) that “Wufu includes longevity, wealth, nobility, peacefulness, and a big thriving family.”
此后，“五福”的概念不断发展。在现代汉语中，“五福”一般指“福、禄、寿、喜、财”五个方面。
Later, the meaning of Wufu continued to evolve. In modern Chinese, it is generally understood as “blessings, remuneration, longevity, happiness and wealth.”
5
“五福”与中国当代生活
Wufu and Contemporary Chinese Life
由于深受人们的青睐，“五福”这一概念常常被用于吉祥物设计、春节活动策划等。
The popularity of Wufu has made it a constant theme for mascot designs and Spring Festival activities.
2008年北京奥运会的吉祥物，是五个福娃，既契合了奥运五环，也暗含五福的含义。
For example, the mascot for the 2008 Beijing Olympics is five Fuwa, in line with the five rings of the Olympic logo and the connotations of blessings in five aspects.
福娃
The Olympic Mascot Fuwa
中国第一历史档案馆选用清朝康熙、雍正、乾隆、嘉庆、道光五位皇帝亲手所书的“福”字，制成《五福图》，用意之一就是表达五福临门、福星高照的美好祝愿。
The First Historical Archives of China made the Painting of Five Fu’s by putting together the character “福(Fu)” hand-written by five emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1636—1912), including Emperor Kangxi, Emperor Yongzheng, Emperor Qianlong, Emperor Jiaqing and Emperor Daoguang. The painting was made partially for relaying the good wish of accompaniment by five blessings.
《五福图》
现藏于中国第一历史档案馆
The Painting of Five Fus
Kept in The First Historical Archives of China
2016年起，支付宝推出“集五福”线上春节活动，吸引了数十亿人参与。现已成为每年春节全民参与度较高的新“年俗”。
The challenge to collect the five blessing cards, first launched by Alipay during the Spring Festival 2016, has drawn several billion contestants over these years. Now, it has become a new Spring Festival custom with extensive participation.
一个小小的“福”字，囊括了中国人对美好的想象与企盼。一元复始，万象更新。人们在辞旧迎新之际，祈盼幸福、憧憬未来。癸卯兔年即将来到，愿凛冬散尽、春暖花开，愿有趣有盼、无忧无虑，愿年年有福、岁岁平安！
The common character “福(Fu)” encapsulates the aspirations of the Chinese people for the better. With the advent of a new year, everything takes on a complete new look. As they usher in a new year, the people aspire for happiness in the future. With the Year of the Rabbit around the corner, let’s pray for freedom from care and worry as the warm spring expels the forlorn winter, and pray for happiness and peace all year round.
推荐学习
扫码观看“圭亚那大学孔子学院‘中国福文化’课堂”
Scan the QR Code
for the Class on Chinese Fu Culture,
by the Confucius Institute at University of Guyana
参
考
文
献
[1]李江.中国传统福文化研究[M].中国轻工业出版社: 2019.
[2]郭卫平.文化进化的模因论对中华福文化的阐释[J].重庆工学院学报(社会科学版),2007(11):130-132+140.
[3]刘瑞华.传统福文化的价值精神与现代意义[J].学术探索,2016(04):133-138.
[4]李庚香,刘承.“福”说——中华传统福文化及其新时代价值[J].河南社会科学,2018,26(10):1-8.
[5]中国第一历史档案馆.五福图[EB/OL]. [2023.01.11]. https://fhac.com.cn/product/detail/1183.html.
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内容编辑：吴晓静 刘希 姚媛媛 陶艳（实习）
美术编辑：姚媛媛 陶艳（实习）
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