The "God" of Fortune 财神 must be the most loved god of all in my family when I was young. Sleepy as we kids were, grandma would insist we stay awake til midnight on Chinese New Year eve to welcome him. And welcome him we did, at stroke of midnight, firecrackers boomed and crackled. A great fanfare no other gods enjoyed. grandma would then reward us with sweets.
Many many many years later I came across the 财神 again, although in a very different way.
Our company just expanded and opened a nice new little office in one of the tier two cities of China. Quite quickly, two "tough looking" chaps dropped by, arms decorated with the most colourful tattoos, holding a rather big porcelain 财神 as a "office warming gift" (who said we invited them?) I was tempted to set the firecrackers on them! But instead, returned the gesture with a big smile and a nice box of chocolates which I happened to have brought from Hong Kong. This suitably impressed the tough boys to leave us without extorting us an arm and a leg, to the amused surprise of our local staff. Maybe it was my bad putonghua that frightened them off.
From then on, it renewed my interest in the 财神 Each Chinese New Year, I will scour for some nice looking God of Fortune to give as well meaning presents on such auspicious celebrations.
This year, the first 100 lucky customers of Ana by Karma will receive a mini 财神 with the purchase of a CNY series of red scarf.
No need to stay up to midnight to wait for him anymore And if you are opening an office in a tier two city in China, put my 财神 at your front door to show that I am "protecting" you already. Hahaha
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