Red is courage, love, anger, luck and danger. Ranging from scarlet to burgundy to pale pink, it comes in a variety of shades, each with their own connotations and various cultural meanings. Red has always been viewed as an intense colour, stimulating emotions and demanding attention. For tens of thousands of years, it has been incorporated into a variety of cultures and taken on new meanings throughout.
In Chinese culture, red symbolises fire, and has largely positive connotation, often associated with happiness, luck, success, passion and courage. Red is connected to either yin (the feminine) or yang (the masculine), depending on context. Special red packets containing money are given as gifts for Chinese New Year, and brides traditionally wear red dresses at their weddings. In India, brides also wear a red sari at their wedding, called the sari of blood. After marriage, the woman would usually wear a sari with a red border. There, the colour carries associations of purity and a connection to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, power, beauty and prosperity.
To ancient Egyptians, red was a sign of health and victory. Egyptians would use red ochre to colour themselves during celebrations, as well as using it as a cosmetic to redden cheeks and lips. Red ochre was also the primary colour used for wall paintings, as it was simple to make by creating a dye using the root of the rubia. Traces of a red powder made from cinnabar have been found in the tombs of Mayan royalty, though it is unclear as to what it symbolised. The early Ottoman Turks carried red banners to symbolise sovereignty and ancient Greeks used red to decorate temples and palaces.
Religions have also interpreted the colour red in many ways. In Christianity, red is associated with the blood of Christ and martyrs. To Roman Catholics it symbolises Pentecost and the Holy Spirit, which is why it is worn during Confirmation masses. Santa traditionally dresses in red because Saint Nicholas, who Santa is based off of, was a bishop of the Greek Christian Church in the 4th century and wore red robes. In Buddhism, it is said that red was one of the five colours to have emerged from the Buddha when he reached nirvana (a state of enlightenment). It is also believed that red has the power to resist evil, and has therefore been used to decorate the gates of temples. Buddhist monks often wear red as the colour is particularly connected with wisdom, fortune and dignity.
In modern society, red is generally associated with love, specifically being the symbolic colour of the heart, red roses and Valentine’s Day. As well as this, red is also the colour most commonly associated with celebration and ceremony. Red carpets are used to welcome notable guests, and it is the typical colour for seats in opera houses and theatres.