Double Happiness and Longevity

I lived for five years in Vietnam and if any of you have traveled there, then I am sure you are familiar with the symbol on our real Vietnamese silk. But please forgive me cause I am slightly unsure if I am looking at Longevity or Double Happiness – but either way – the best of both to  you!!

I searched the internet for meanings and found a lot about the Chinese symbols, but not for the use in Vietnam . Given the differences in meaning of the crane and turtle figures between these cultures (and also the Japanese), I feel maybe there are also differences between the meanings of this symbol. I shall seek the truth in Vietnam ! Please wait for the next installment or if you know – please email me!

Those in the know will for sure understand that the symbol for longevity and double happiness are different! But me – I cannot spot the difference from 1 meter  - kudos to you, if you can. These samples from the Wikipedia site are quite different with the double happiness (right side) woven into a mat. When you see them both carved in wood for instance, they are much harder to tell apart, as the bold part of the pattern often becomes the negative cut in the wood. Or maybe I should just get my eyes checked!?

Double Happiness (on the right side) (双喜, sometimes Double Happy) is a Chinese character commonly used as a decoration. It consists of two "xi"s (喜) juxtaposed. It is also a character used for marriages, and is often found all over the ceremony, as well as gifts given with the character to the bride and groom. The color is red and once in a while will be black. It is never white, because that is the color of death, and is worn at wakes.

Both of these symbols have popular floral decorations for the New Year and are available at New year Markets. The flowers at this time of year are even more spectacular than most times. Be sure when in Hanoi to get to the early morning flower market on the road from the airport – a visual treat is in store for you!!

Now while I love New Year, flowers and all that, one of the things I really love in this region is the silk. Let me share with you the fascination I have with silk. One of the many things you can do in Vietnam (here in Thailand or other countries in the region) is visit a silk weaving village and if you are a fabric nut like me, then go and do this, you will not be disappointed, seeing and hearing the looms in action as they weave this wonderful fabric. In Vietnam, watching the looms in action is fun, each fabric is woven according to a card system, the cards are placed in a basked at the side of the loom, they are lifted to the top of the machine, and they create a pattern for each action of the thread needle which shoots back and forth across the long (warp) threads……Silk is woven using these looms in Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as many other places around the world!

On a trip to the US in 2005 - I went to visit the Museum of American Culture and I was fascinated to see within the same building that houses Dorothy’s shoes from the Wizard of Oz (they are not so shiny and red in real life!) there is an ‘antique’ loom. I stood for a while staring at this piece, again hearing the voices, and the noises of the silk weaving houses in Vietnam who still use the same ‘antique’ loom to produce the high quality silks which are exported all over the world, including the US – my US friends go nuts over the silk made in Vietnam!

If fabric is your thing – then there is much to see in this region, the traditional minority weavings and fabric dyeing is fascinating, many village communities still use traditional methods to color fabrics, pots of indigo to dye the dark blue hues you will see as the main fabric of many of the traditional outfits of the region, especially the H’mong, Dao, Yao and Thai.

If you do head over to Vietnam , then you will also see an amazing variety of hand skills. The Vietnamese people are amazing artisans, lacquer, weavings, embroidery - so fine it looks like a painting - and of course the paintings, the oils, the watercolors, there are so many artists in Vietnam who can copy any of the masters, and also display something of themselves. Don’t forget your wallet when you head in that direction and buy your own masterpiece. I am sure you will find something that works for you!

Our Seven Suns wish to you – happiness and health – enjoy your stay!