Why do Chinese cars have red cloth wrapped around their side mirrors?

Mysterious red cloth

When you go to China, the carSide mirrors (door mirrors), bumpers or tire wheelsYou will often see a red cloth tied around the

This is especially common in new passenger cars and large trucks.

Some cars have beautiful red cloths, as shown in the photo below, while others have faded and tattered red cloths that have been exposed to the elements.

Delivery of a new car? A wedding? Or a message of some kind?

I wondered, so I asked the Chinese.

Red for the Chinese

The reason why drivers of passenger cars and long-haul trucks wear red cloths is a kind of wish for an uneventful return home.Shinto or Buddhist prayerI hear that.

In China, the color red (红色 hóngsè) is thought to not only bring good luck, but also to have the power to ward off evil.

The Chinese flag is called the Five-Star Red Flag (Wǔxīng Hóngqí) and is red.

Wedding gift bags and New Year's gifts (压岁钱yā suì qián) at the time of Chinese New Year also put money in a red envelope called 红包 hóng bāo.

It is also customary to paste a red paper called chūnlián (春联 chūnlián) on the front door during the Chinese New Year to wish for good luck and fortune.

From a Japanese point of view, the red cloth on rearview mirrors and tire wheels seems to be an obstacle to driving, rather than a safety hazard.

But for some Chinese, the red cloth of the carTraffic safety charmIt has the same meaning as

In Japan, traffic safety charms must be purchased at shrines, but in China, they are found everywhere and require only a piece of red cloth.

I was impressed with this wallet-friendly safety prayer, and then I found a red cloth shopping site for safety prayers on the Internet.

I am interested in the business spirit of Chinese people who connect everything to business.

Effect of red cloth

Some of the Chinese drivers areIf you see a passenger car with a red cloth wrapped around it, keep your distance.There are people who say.

This means that passenger cars with red cloths arenewbie driver (driver of a vehicle)The reason is that many of them may be involved in a collision due to sudden braking or steering.

If the red cloth makes the cars around you move further away from you, it may have a certain effect on traffic safety? If the red cloth makes the cars around you keep their distance, it may have a certain effect on traffic safety.