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Fu Chinese Character – Upright or Inverted For Good Fortune?

“Should I paste the Fu Chinese Character upright or upside down?”

Many people ask this question during this festive season, and I bet almost 98% of people do not know the correct way to hang this Fu Chinese character.

Many believe that the most auspicious way to invite good fortune and happiness is to purposely paste or display this symbol (福) upside down. That is because the word “upside down” is pronounced as “Dao” in Chinese, meaning “arrived”. It symbolizes good fortune that has arrived for the household or business by displaying an inverted fu Chinese character all over the house or office.

However, on the other hand, there are some locations where we will see this inverted Fu character. For example, you can paste the sticker on your rice urn, on the shelvings and main doors.

This Chinese custom and tradition of pasting the word happiness upside down are favourable in most cases, except for a particular location where we must display it upright. Do you know where it is?

Fu Chinese Character Meaning and Symbolism

The Chinese character Fu (福) is one of the most important characters in Chinese, having a complex and widely-extended meaning. Fu is a common symbol in Chinese culture and stands for happiness, blessing, and good fortune. You can often see it as part of the word “Good Luck”.

While there are many interpretations as to the origins of this character, most people usually couple Fu with the symbol for luck (Lu/禄) for maximized good fortune. In addition, Fu can also be used as a verb to do good deeds or help people in need.

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Where To Place The Fu Chinese Character Upright?

The main door is the mouth of “Chi”, the entrance/exit and the first impression of the others. Therefore, you must keep this place free of clutter and organise things correctly, uprightly and respectfully.

If you are placing this Fu character upside down at your main door, does it resemble chasing the good fortune away instead? Hence, if you have displayed this inverted Fu Chinese character at your main entrance for the past years, it is time to put it upright from this year onwards.

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Traditions & CultureFu Chinese Character – Upright or Inverted For Good Fortune?