Screenshots show the app of Alipay Wallet, the mobile payment application backed by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Red envelope embraces mobile technology

It has been a long-time tradition for Chinese people to give others, especially younger people, red envelops containing cash during Spring Festival. However, this old custom fully embraced mobile technology during the 2015 Lunar New Year holiday, with Tencent's multimillion-user app WeChat keeping most people busy.

Even the annual China Central Television Spring Festival gala was broadcast in conjunction with WeChat on Lunar New Year's Eve. As long as audience members shook their smartphones during the show, they stood a good chance of receiving red envelopes with cash gifts. WeChat said it received 11 billion shakes during the show.

Smartphone users were also busy sending red envelopes to family members and friends included on their WeChat contacts list. More than 1 billion red envelopes were sent out on Lunar New Year's Eve, 200 times the amount sent last year.