Double happiness, 囍 (shuāngxǐ), is two copies of the Chinese character 喜, "joy", written side by side as a single sign. It is the emblem of weddings: cut from red paper, printed on invitations and gifts, and hung on doors and walls to celebrate the joy of two people joining their lives.
One joy, doubled
The ordinary character 喜 xǐ means joy or happiness and appears at many celebrations. Doubling it creates a sign that belongs specifically to marriage: the happiness of two people, and of their two families. It is not a word used in ordinary writing, but a decorative emblem.
At a Chinese wedding
At weddings the character is usually shown in red, the colour of celebration and good fortune. It appears on the bride's and groom's doors, on the wedding bed and furnishings, on gifts and on the wrapping of red envelopes. Its perfect left-to-right symmetry suits the idea of a balanced partnership.
The story behind it
A popular story attributes the sign to the Song-dynasty statesman Wang Anshi, who is said to have written the doubled character when he passed the imperial examination and married on the same day. It is a charming legend, but it is a legend: the origin of the sign is not documented.
Double happiness in jewellery
As a charm or pendant, double happiness is a natural gift for a wedding or anniversary, and a sign of partnership for the person who wears it. Take a look at the AURYN Double Happiness charm, or read our guide to Chinese auspicious symbols.
