Chinese Red

The use of Chinese Red dates back to the Neolithic Age. Ancestors scattered hematite powder in tombs, believing red could ward off evil spirits and protect the deceased. During the Zhou Dynasty, red became an important ritual color, worn by emperors and adopted in ancestral temple sacrifices to symbolize supreme status.

After the Han Dynasty, the Five Elements Theory linked red to fire, the south and summer, endowing it cosmic meanings of auspiciousness, brightness and prosperity. Massive quantities of red lacquer and silk fabrics dyed with cinnabar traveled along the Silk Road to the Western Regions.

Chinese Red reached its zenith in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and became an imperial color. The red walls and vermilion gates of the Forbidden City embodied imperial authority, while the hue took deep root among civilians as the core color for weddings, festivals and warding off misfortune in the year of one’s birth sign.

In modern times, Chinese Red carries connotations of revolution and national spirit as the base color of the national flag. Today, it symbolizes traditional culture and acts as China’s cultural calling card to the world, representing celebration, peace and perseverance.