Comment on How did red arise as a lucky colour in Asia even amongst different cultures/religions?

etchinghillside@reddthat.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

• Pat12@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  Do you have a source on that?

  I can’t see (in Chinese culture at least) that the cheapest colour would be used for something like a wedding, it would not reflect well on one’s family to use something cheap. The reds i’m referring to are bright reds, like jewel red, not like a dull/muddy red

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  • etchinghillside@reddthat.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Source: Barns were painted red for the reason of cost savings/ease of production. But that might fall into a rusty/muddy hue and not a vibrant red like you’re referring to.

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    • idiomaddict@feddit.de ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      It is a rust hue, because the iron used in its production is what makes it cheap

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      • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        Also, red usually fade to a clay-ish brown. (Which is why the British used it for their marines…)

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• theodewere@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  might not have been in China.. the rarity of iron removes one of the common sources of red tint.. it may be the exact opposite.. red was probably a rare and highly prized dye, and therefore associated with wealth and luck.. like purple around the Mediterranean..

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  • fiat_lux@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Like... Cinnibar?

    It's the red stuff used for stamps/seals/signatures in East Asia. The Olmec were also keen on their red pigment, as you can see from the Tomb of the Red Queen.

    It's also mercury-based, so pretty fucking toxic.

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    • theodewere@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      if it was associated with Luck, it was almost certainly because for a very long time only wealthy people could afford it

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