Handing Him the Green Hat

Yesterday evening, Valparaiso University held its annual Mid Autumn Festival celebration on campus. Every year, the Chinese department organizes a gala which closer resembles a talent show with skits and musical acts performed primarily by Chinese students. Last night was one of the better events; a professional Chinese musical troupe gave a nice touch at the end of the show.

I even did a little performing myself. I did a cover for a song by Wang Lihong, "Incomplete Melody." It turned out great.

Actually, I was trying to be a bit stylish for my performance by wearing a hat that I bought in Seoul earlier this summer. I love it. It's stylish. And bold. But the problem was the color, green. Now, I didn't have a problem with it, but what I didn't know is that wearing a green hat in Chinese culture has a rather negative connotation. Let me explain. Interestingly enough, there is an idiom in Chinese, "handing him the green hat." And actually, it means that your wife has betrayed you for another man. So, without knowing it, had I worn the hat for my performance, I would have broadcast to all of my Chinese friends that my lover had just walked out on me!