LuckinCoffeeteamsupwithKweichowMoutaimakinganiconicflavoredcoffee.[Photo/VCG]
FestivalscanbeaheadacheformanyChinese.Peakseasonsforcelebrationsandceremonies,holidaysalsooftenmean,aspertradition,givingoutmoneytorelativesandfriends.Evenforlong-lostschoolmatesonehasn'tcontacted,or(联系liánxì)inChinese,foryears,giftshavetobehandedoverat,say,awedding.Afterall,humansaresocialanimals,andsuchhuman联结(liánjié,connections)haveboundpeopletogetherinChinaformillennia.
TheChinesecharacter联(lián)firstappearedinoraclebonescriptover3,000yearsago.Comprisedofan耳(ěr,ear)radicalontheleftanda糸(sī,silk)ontheright,itsymbolizedtyingsomethingthroughaperson'sear,whichscholarsbelieveconveyedthemeaningof"linking"or"joining."ItscurrentformemergedduringtheQingdynasty(1616–1911),withtherightpartsimplifiedas关(guān)insometexts,thoughitsmeaninghasremainedbasicallyunchangedthroughouthistory.
InUnofficialGleaningsoftheWanliEra(《万历野获编》wànlìyěhuòbiān),aMingdynasty(1368–1644)encyclopedia,scholarShenDefu(沈德符,shěndéfú)describedpeoplefromBeijinggoingtothecity'ssuburbsto"travelhandinhand,andpreparefoodanddrinksontheground(联袂嬉游，席地布饮liánmèixīyóu,xídìbùyǐn)."
Today,thephrase联袂(liánmèi,literally"joinsleeves")ismainlyusedinliterarytexts,while联手(liánshǒu,joinhands)ismorecommonlyusedtoexpresstheideaof"goinghandinhand,"asseeninexpressionslike强强联手(qiángqiángliánshǒu),meaningmutuallybeneficialcooperation.
Thecharacter'smeaninghassinceevolvedtoencompassvariousconnections,closeandfar,physicalandemotional.Forinstance,联姻(liányīn)signifiesaconnectionthroughmarriage,while联盟(liánméng)denotesanalliance.Justas联姻hasbeenameansforrichandpowerfulfamiliestoenhancetheirwealthandstatus,businesseshaveshownakeeninterestin联名(liánmíng),orco-branding,overthepastfewdecades.ThisSeptember,acollaborativeproductcalled"FragrantSauceLatte(酱香拿铁jiàngxiāngnátiě),"launchedbyKweichowMoutai,oneofChina'sbest-knownbaijiuliquorproducers,andcoffeechainLuckinCoffee,soldover5.4millioncupsnationwide,generatingrevenueof100millionyuanwithinoneday.
[Photo/TheWorldofChinese]
联络(liánluò)isto"contact"viaphoneorothermeans,and联络感情(liánluògǎnqíng)istogetintouchwiththesoleintentionofbuildingrelationships.Manyorganizationshavetheirownliaisondepartment(联络部liánluòbù),liaisonoffice(联络处liánluòchù),orliaisonperson(联络员liánluòyuán).Whenanindividualcannotbecontacted,theyaredescribedas失联(shīlián).
Nowadays,theinternet(互联网hùliánwǎng)andothertechnologieshavetransformedtheworldintoa"globalvillage."AmessagesentfromShanghaicanbereceivedwithinsecondsbypeopleinNewYork.Withthehelpofsocialmedia,evenpublicfiguresandcelebritiesarenolongerdistant—forbetterorworse.Popstars,journalists,andworldleadersareallonWeiboorX,formerlyknownasTwitter,thoughtheiropinionsandrantsmaynothavemadeiteasierfortheUnitedNations(联合国Liánhéguó)toachieveworldpeace.
Justasgeopoliticalalliancesrequirepartnershipstoadvance,Chineserhymingcouplets,or对联(duìlián),areonlycompleteinpairs.PeopleoftenpastetheserhymesoneithersideoftheirdoorduringtheLunarNewYear,orothertraditionaloccasions,withthemessagescommonlyinvitinggoodluckandprosperityforthefamily.
AnotherLunarNewYeartraditioninChinaistogathertogether,or联欢(liánhuān),withfamilyandfriendstocelebrate.CCTV'sSpringFestivalGala,whichithasbroadcasteveryLunarNewYear'sEvesince1983,evenincludesthistermfor"get-together"initsfullname:春节联欢晚会(ChūnjiéLiánhuānWǎnhuì).
TheLunarNewYearisatimeofeating,celebrating,and,yes,money-giving.Howelsewouldpeoplemaintaintheir社会关系(socialties,shèhuìguānxi)?
Source:TheWorldofChineseEditor:wanwan
来源：TheWorldofChinese
