In China, red is a positive colour: it is the colour of fire, of the sun, and associated with weddings, courage, loyalty, good fortune, success, happiness, honour, fertility…

Brides in China traditionally wear red dresses and red paper will be used to wrap money, gifts, and in many celebrations – think of the red wrappers on fireworks and the ubiquitous red lanterns. Even in shops, when an item is wrapped in red it will sell out a lot quicker than the same item wrapped in a different colour.

But do not write a person’s name in red ink! It means that you have cut them out of your life or that they are dead. In ancient times, the names of the dead were carved in red on tombstones and plaques. Nowadays, Chinese obituaries are traditionally written in red ink.

In Portugal, too, people avoid writing in red. There, it is not just people’s names, but any text written in this colour that is seen as offensive. In Christianity, red is the colour of the devil, of the Deadly Sin wrath, and of sin in general.