In Chinese culture, the color red stands for many good things, for example, happiness. But writing names and letters with red pens is usually 1 Why?
In ancient times, red was the symbol of power. Not everyone could write with red pens—only2 They would reply to officials' memorials (奏折) with red pens. The red ink was made of cinnabar (朱砂), so their replies were known as zhupi.
Writing with red pens also had something to do with 3 In ancient China,4Some criminals were supposed to die, the records of their names were all written in red words. 5 on
the tombstones(墓碑) were red as well. Therefore, the person was thought to be 6 if his or her name was written with red pens. Since red words carry bad meanings, people don't write 7 with red pens. If you write to friends or family members with red pens, it means you want to 8with them.
Nowadays, red pens are used to read and correct a piece of written or printed work. Teachers 9 students' homework with red pens. So do editors who need to correct mistakes in newspapers and magazines. But writing names or litters with red pens is 10 a bad idea to many people.
