Red Pocket project bridges gap between Chinese-Canadian generations

Making tradition more accessible to the next generation, that is the idea behind Mission: Red Pocket.

Mission: Red Pocket takes traditional Chinese red pockets exchanged during Lunar New Year, and adds an English explanation on the back. One of the project’s intentions is to build a bridge to the next generation of Chinese-Canadians through art and stories.

Creator Kevin K. Li says it’s a new twist on the traditional Chinese red pockets exchanged during Lunar New Year.

“Every year, we receive and we give red pockets. So, this is one little way that we can translate some of the Chinese in the front in English with Mandarin and Cantonese phonetics…so we can understand better,” he explained.

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He adds he got the idea after the birth of his daughter last year.

“With some of the Chinese translations on the back, and also some of the phonetics in Cantonese and Mandarin…hopefully my daughter can retain just a little bit more to be a little bit more proud of being Chinese-Canadian when she grows up,” said Li.

Partial proceeds from the red pockets will go to Vancouver’s Chinatown Storytelling Centre.