President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) caused a considerable flurry in his home neighborhood of Taipei County's Sanchih (三芝) yesterday, as he has done every Chinese New Year during his 12-year presidency.
Lee appeared more than prepared for an onslaught of well-wishers in his hometown yesterday, equipped with more than 20,000 hong bao (red envelopes) for distribution, according to reports.
Some residents actually began queuing up near Lee's family home at 9pm on Friday night - New Year's Eve - in order to receive a lucky New Year gift from the president.
LU CHUNG-WEI, LIBERTY TIMES
To protect them from the chilly drizzle, Lee's relatives set up tents along aa nearby road.
The number of people that came to pick up the auspicious presidential packet increased dramatically this year, presumably because it is the last time Lee will hand out red envelopes as Taiwan's president. Lee is set to step down in May.
Anticipating the large crowds this year, Lee's team had prepared more than 20,000 red envelopes. The amount of money in each was reduced to NT$100 as a result, down from NT$200 each in the past.
But the amount of money was of little importance to those who attended the event, as it was the auspicious aura of the presidential envelope that they were after.
The envelopes bear the words "from the president" (總統贈) printed in gold characters.
After giving away the envelopes, Lee paid respects at his father's grave near the town and prayed at Fucheng Temple (福成宮), the town's religious hub, for a peaceful, prosperous year ahead.
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