Gifts - Shuugi

It refers to a celebratory ceremony, and by extension, the money and goods given as gifts at such occasions. It is the opposite of condolences, which refers to ceremonies and gifts given for misfortunes. Celebration gifts are most often given on occasions such as pregnancy and childbirth, followed by rites of passage such as the first shrine visit, first meal, first birthday, first seasonal festival, Shichigosan (hair-laying, obi-toki, etc.), school entrance celebrations (first calligraphy, first reading, etc.), graduation celebrations, coming-of-age ceremonies (coming-of-age ceremony, kane-tsuki, etc.), weddings, 60th birthdays, 88th birthdays, etc. There are many other occasions for celebration gifts, such as New Year's, seasonal festivals, village festivals, and kariage, annual events, agricultural ceremonies, household life such as new construction and roofing, and occupation-related occasions such as celebrations for a good catch and the launching of boats.

Giving money or gifts to express one's wishes or condolences on occasions of celebrations or condolences has been considered a fundamental part of social interactions since ancient times, and it is customary for each household to keep a gift book or a condolence book to keep as a memorandum. Money or gifts as gifts were also called flowers or tips, and it was customary to give them to people who were involved in festivals and other events, and this eventually became popular among entertainers and craftsmen.

[Takeda Dan]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

祝いの儀式のこと、転じてその際引出物として贈られる金品をいう。凶事の儀式・贈り物をさす不祝儀(ぶしゅうぎ)と相対する。祝儀がもっとも多くみられるのは妊娠、出産から始まる通過儀礼に際してで、以後、初宮参り、食い初(ぞ)め、初誕生、初節供、七五三（髪置(かみおき)、帯解(おびとき)など）、入学祝い（手習い始め、読始めなど）、卒業祝い、成人式（元服、鉄漿(かね)付けなど）、婚礼、還暦、米寿などと続いていく。そのほか、正月や節供、村祭りや刈上(かりあ)げなど年中行事、農耕儀礼に伴うもの、新築や屋根葺(ふ)きなど家の暮らしからおこるもの、また、大漁祝いや船おろしなど生業に基づくものなど、祝儀の機会はきわめて多い。

　祝儀・不祝儀に際して金品を贈り、祝意なり弔意なりを表すことは古来交際の基本として重視され、各家で祝儀帳、香典帳などを作成して備忘録とする習わしである。また祝儀の金品を花(はな)、心付けなどといい、祭りなど催し事にあたる者に贈る風があり、やがて芸人や職人の間にも盛行するようになった。

［竹田　旦］

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