Why cover the signboard with red cloth?

Covering the signboard with red cloth can achieve two effects: one is to create suspense, and the other is to keep happy.

In principle, the meaning of covering with red cloth is similar to that of the bride covering with red hijab. It's all about picking an auspicious day to complete a big event and create a sense of ceremony. In ancient times, the two were really similar. When the new store opened, the whole plaque was covered with red cloth, and then it opened after a burst of firecrackers, which was very grand.

Extended data:

The form and setting of the signboard are relatively fixed, but the words engraved on it are varied. In order to meet the needs of competition, it is ok for shopkeepers to make dozens or even dozens of crosses. Beijing Deaitang Pharmacy once erected a signboard engraved with "Deaitang Shenjiazu Biography of Seven Generations of Xiaoerzhen Pills" ***2 1.

Many shopkeepers invite celebrities to inscribe on the plaque to enhance the value of their stores. There are also articles on the plaque of the shop, such as using the traditional couplet form of China: "Stay in the hotel before the cock crows, and watch the sky early" (hotel); "Business is like spring grass and money is like water" (shop).

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, hotels often used couplets. For example, the Xunyang Building in Jiujiang uses the couplet "The Unknown Building in the World". There are also numbers as font sizes, such as Liubiju and Shuanghesheng. There is also a sign hanging at the door of the store.