Chinese House Warming Gifts

» becwethan - Salt, Bread, Rice

One custom I've heard of and have used at times is the Chinese(I believe) custom of giving rice, bread and salt for a house warming gift. Rice - fertility Salt - luck Bread - prosperity.
Does anyone know anything about these customs? Have I got it right?

-- posted by becwethan

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» shoemaker - Re: Salt, Bread, Rice

Becky,
You've opened up a great subject for gift-giving customs and I'll have to do an article on it. As far as I know and as far as I can find out, the custom of bread and salt spans many cultures, but mainly comes from Russian ancient traditions which spread into Europe. The combination of bread and salt was usually given with honey, water or wine in Europe. There's actually a poem that you could include with your gift:

Bread so your larder will always be full
Salt to give it savour
Honey for a sweet life in your new home

In the East, rice was given to a new house (because the couple living in the house were usually newlyweds) for fertility. This is why we throw rice at weddings. Salt was extremely important in China as a commodity and even taxed, so a gift of salt would be a generous gift. I've found some great links for you to read concerning this subject.
House-warming traditions at http://www.house-warming-gifts-and-tradi...
Russian traditions at http://www.bettysimecka.com/czars/imperi...
Salting the bread and the baby at http://www.jhom.com/topics/salt/magic.htm
Photo of Kosovo children with their gifts at http://www.usaid.gov/missions/kosovo/ima...

Hope this helps. What a great gift idea and so interesting to receive!! I think anybody would welcome this gift! Elizabeth Nordhausen

-- posted by shoemaker

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