A few words about the word 'blessing'

Later, this character evolved into the Jin Dynasty script with many different forms, no longer depicting two "hands" holding wine, and the shape of the wine bottle also changed, with the character for "roof" (宀) added above, signifying a wish for blessings for the family.

During the Qin Dynasty, the character for "fortune" (福) was written in the Small Seal Script, consisting of two characters: 示 (qi) - representing the meaning and 畐 (fu) - representing the sound; later, this served as the basis for the development of the Clerical Script and Regular Script characters for "fortune".

The original meaning of "blessing" is "to create blessings" or "to bestow blessings," for example: "The gods bestow blessings upon virtuous people and inflict misfortune upon lewd people" (Zuo Commentary - Fifth year of Cheng Gong; Tenth year of Zhuang Gong).

In addition, the word "phúc" (blessing) has the following meanings: It refers to "a life or situation that brings satisfaction" (Shangshu, Hong Fan); "wine and meat used for sacrifice" (Liji, Shao Yi); "benefit" (Phan Nhac's "Western Expedition Poem" from the Jin Dynasty); or "storage" (Shiji, Guisheng Biography)...

In the past, "blessing" also referred to the posture of performing a ritual (also called "ten thousand blessings"), with the upper body slightly leaning forward, both hands placed on top of each other, raised and lowered to the right (Lao Tan Du Ki). In Du The Minh Ngon (volume 1), the woman placed her hands behind her back, clasped her hands together, to respectfully bow.

During the Lunar New Year, people traditionally pasted the character "Fu" (福, meaning fortune/blessing) on their doors, beams, or granaries. This character symbolizes welcoming and bestowing blessings, a bountiful harvest, and more. People also carved the character "Fu" into various shapes, such as birthday stars, dragons and phoenixes, longevity peaches, or carp leaping over gates. Some preferred to paste the character upside down on their doors or hang the phrase "Wu Fu Lin Men" (Five blessings come to the house).

In fact, there are different interpretations of the word "blessing." The Book of Documents, Hong Fan, states: "First is longevity, second is wealth, third is health and peace, fourth is virtue and filial piety, fifth is a good end to life."

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the "five blessings" were secularized through the phrase: "Happiness, longevity, joy, wealth, and health." In the New Treatise on the Eleventh Chapter of the Book of Changes by Huan Dan Yu of the Eastern Han dynasty, due to the taboo against death, the phrase "examining the final fate" was omitted, resulting in the phrase: "Longevity, wealth, nobility, peace, and many descendants."

Buddhism also has a similar saying: "Wealth, longevity, health, virtue, and a good end," referring to the blessings obtained through doing good deeds.

Some compound words and idioms related to "blessing" are as follows: "Blessing" and "fortune" refer to a person destined for a happy life. Eating delicious food is called "mouth blessing"; seeing rare or beautiful things is called "eye blessing"; and hearing beautiful music is called "ear blessing".

In terms of idioms, "good fortune doesn't come in pairs" means "good luck doesn't always come in pairs"; "good fortune enlightens the mind" means "when good fortune arrives, the heart becomes enlightened"; and "creating happiness for humanity" means "creating happiness for mankind".

In Vietnam, the word "phúc" (also called "phước") was once recorded in the handwritten manuscript Dictionarium Anamitico-Latinum (1772) by P.J. Pigneaux. In contrast to the five blessings are the six misfortunes: "death, sickness, worry, poverty, calamity, and weakness."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-dieu-ve-chu-phuc-18525072522143152.htm