Condolence Money in Taiwan — White Envelope Amounts, Writing, and Etiquette

Getting the condolence envelope wrong at a Taiwanese funeral creates exactly the kind of quiet, lasting awkwardness that nobody wants during a family's worst week. The amount, the envelope, the writing on it, and the timing are all governed by rules that differ sharply from Western customs — and the family's registry desk will notice every detail.

How Much to Give

Condolence money (bai jin or dian yi) must be an odd number of New Taiwan Dollars. Even numbers belong to celebrations — weddings, birthdays, housewarming gifts. At a funeral, an even amount implies you want the misfortune to "pair up" and repeat.

Common amounts for different relationships:

These are guidelines, not fixed rules. The amount should reflect your relationship to the deceased and your financial situation — giving beyond your means is neither expected nor appropriate. The critical rule is the odd number, not the specific figure.

Never include coins. Paper bills only.

The Envelope

Use a plain white envelope. In Taiwan, stationery shops and convenience stores sell pre-printed funeral envelopes (bai bao) with the appropriate characters already printed. If you're using a blank white envelope, the traditional inscription reads:

Front (centre): 奠儀 (dian yi — "memorial tribute") written vertically in black ink

Front (lower left): Your full name, also in black ink

Some families or regional customs use 帛金 (bai jin — "white gold") instead of 奠儀 on the front. Both are correct. The key is to use black ink — never red, which is reserved for joyous occasions.

If you're unfamiliar with writing traditional Chinese characters, a printed label is acceptable. What matters is that your name is clearly legible so the family can record your contribution in their condolence ledger and prepare the appropriate return gift.

When to Present It

Hand the envelope to the family member staffing the registry desk (shou li chu) at the entrance of the memorial hall. This desk is impossible to miss — it's the first thing you encounter when arriving, typically staffed by a younger family member or a friend of the family.

Timing rule: The envelope must be presented at or before the funeral service. Giving condolence money after the funeral has concluded is considered inauspicious — it implies you're "bringing up death again" when the family is trying to move forward.

If you can't attend the service in person, have a trusted mutual friend deliver the envelope on your behalf. The friend presents it at the registry desk and signs your name in the condolence book.

What the Family Gives Back

After the service, the family distributes a return gift (da li) to each condolence-money giver. The package typically contains:

• A small towel (for the purification ritual)
• A bar of mugwort soap (ai cao zao)
• A yellow purification talisman (jing fu)
• A red envelope containing a small paper-money gift, paired with a white envelope containing a coin and a piece of hard candy

The white-envelope portion carries specific instructions: eat the candy immediately to "wash away the bitterness" of the funeral, and spend the coin that same day to disperse any lingering inauspicious energy before entering your own home.

The towel and talisman are for the full purification ritual — burn the talisman over a heatproof bowl, mix the ashes into warm "yin-yang water" (half boiling, half cold), and wipe your face and hands with the towel dipped in the mixture. Pour the leftover water onto outdoor soil, not down an indoor drain.

Red Envelopes for Clergy and Staff

Payments to Buddhist monks, Taoist priests, musicians, pallbearers, and the funeral director are delivered in red envelopes (hongbao), not white ones. This seems contradictory at a somber event, but the logic is protective: red shields the recipients from the spiritual weight of death that they absorb through their professional contact with the deceased.

Clergy gratuities typically range from NT$1,200 to NT$3,600+ depending on the scale of the liturgy and the priest's seniority. The funeral director's gratuity is separate from the contractual service fee and is presented at the conclusion of the service.

Common Mistakes

Even-number amounts: NT$1,000, NT$2,000, NT$2,200 — all wrong. Double-check the figure before sealing the envelope.

Red ink on the envelope: Red belongs to weddings. Use black.

Presenting money after the funeral: If you missed the service, make a condolence visit instead. Don't mail a late envelope.

Forgetting to record your name: The family needs your name for their ledger. An anonymous envelope creates bookkeeping headaches and prevents the family from reciprocating if you later hold a funeral.

The Taiwan Funeral Planning Guide includes a condolence ledger template that helps the hosting family track every envelope received, the corresponding return gift status, and the future reciprocity obligations — essential for families managing dozens or hundreds of condolence contributions.