Straight off I am going to recommend that this blog post is read listening to Stevie Wonder's Superstition, because why not? And for those of you who need the extra nudge here is the link.
Okay, have it playing?
Good, now we can begin.
Okay, have it playing?
Good, now we can begin.
Every
country has its own set of superstitions or Old Wives Tales and it's always
fun to discover them and wonder at how they seem to have no resonance with us as
outsiders. But, a country's set of superstitious beliefs are something that I
think can say a lot about its culture and also the history of how the country
has developed. China is a very superstitious country and superstitions have
huge scope and can even effect daily life, Days that are considered auspicious, or inauspicious, can effect anything from when to get married, to what (and when) to name your baby.
My boyfriend has explained Chinese superstition to me as a big part of the Chinese culture, so much so that people will look for ways to call something lucky or unlucky - often through similar pronunciations. He thinks it's something to do with the lack of religion in China, without religious faith people find other ways to explain the unknown and for China this explanations has come through superstition. In general superstitions tend to have more of a hold on the older generations, and I think that this is definitely true in China; but through the passage of time the customs of an older generation do seep down into the younger generation, whether they are aware of it or not!
In China certain times of the year have more superstitions attached to them, festivals are a good example of this. The superstitions surrounding Chinese New Year are extensive and could warrant an entire thesis to themselves! But there are some superstitions that are present in the more general day-to-day setting.
Here are some of my favourite Chinese superstitions.
My boyfriend has explained Chinese superstition to me as a big part of the Chinese culture, so much so that people will look for ways to call something lucky or unlucky - often through similar pronunciations. He thinks it's something to do with the lack of religion in China, without religious faith people find other ways to explain the unknown and for China this explanations has come through superstition. In general superstitions tend to have more of a hold on the older generations, and I think that this is definitely true in China; but through the passage of time the customs of an older generation do seep down into the younger generation, whether they are aware of it or not!
In China certain times of the year have more superstitions attached to them, festivals are a good example of this. The superstitions surrounding Chinese New Year are extensive and could warrant an entire thesis to themselves! But there are some superstitions that are present in the more general day-to-day setting.
Here are some of my favourite Chinese superstitions.
Numbers
Every
country has numbers that it deems as either lucky, or unlucky, and China is no
different, but while our superstitions often don't seen to have much logic behind them, Chinese superstitions do have a kind of logical reasoning..
Four
is considered the most unlucky number for the very logical reason that the
Chinese for four (sì 四) has a similar
pronunciation to the word for to die (sĭ 死) – for all those not familiar with Chinese, the difference
is in the tone used. This mistrust of the number four isn't as widespread as I
had imagined, there are still usually fourth floors in apartment blocks and
hotels, but things like phone numbers and license plates that contain the
number 4 do tend to be cheaper, especially compared to those containing sixes or eights.
If
four is China’s unlucky number then six is its lucky one. Six (liù 六) is thought to be related with good luck, probably because of the saying "liù liù dà shùn 六六大顺" which means everything goes smoothly. Telephone numbers and license plates containing the number 6 are highly sought after to ensure an easier life. The number six also has resonance in marriage traditions, when a man wants to marry a girl he will often give an engagement gift to the girl's family, usually related to the number six and usually in a monetary form - think 6,666 RMB!
Another number considered lucky is 8, especially when it comes to luck with money. I’ve heard a few reasons why 8 is considered lucky. One reason is that eight (bā 八) sounds similar to the word for prosperity or wealth (fā 发), another reason was that the numerical symbol for eight (8) is the same as the symbol for infinity (albeit rotated 90 degrees), which is considered lucky. The idea that the number eight is particularly lucky in China was demonstrated when the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics started at 8 seconds past the 8th minute after 8pm on 8th of August 2008 (08/08/08 8:08:08).
Another number considered lucky is 8, especially when it comes to luck with money. I’ve heard a few reasons why 8 is considered lucky. One reason is that eight (bā 八) sounds similar to the word for prosperity or wealth (fā 发), another reason was that the numerical symbol for eight (8) is the same as the symbol for infinity (albeit rotated 90 degrees), which is considered lucky. The idea that the number eight is particularly lucky in China was demonstrated when the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics started at 8 seconds past the 8th minute after 8pm on 8th of August 2008 (08/08/08 8:08:08).
Zodiac luck
Everyone
knows about the Chinese zodiac, each year is associated with one of twelve
animals. Similarly to Western Astrology it is believed that which animal year
you are born in can affect your personality and also that certain animals are
more compatible together. I always assumed that when your zodiac animals came
around again every 12 years this would be a sign of a good and lucky year for you. Think
again. The year of your zodiac animal is considered very unlucky and you should
wear something red (usually socks or underwear) every day for the whole year to
combat the bad luck.
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| The 12 animals of the Zodiac (Green Ram Temple, Chengdu) |
Giving gifts
In
the West we say that you should never give someone an empty purse as a gift, or
if you give a knife you should always give a coin with it (or maybe that’s just
my family) and China too has it’s own gift giving superstitions. My favourite
is that it is really bad luck to ever give a clock as a gift. This is because
the phrase “giving a clock” (sòng zhōng 送钟) has the same pronunciation as the phrase for “saying
goodbye to someone on their deathbed” (sòng zhōng 送终). So give someone a clock and you are basically saying bye,
nice knowing you, time to die now! British minister Susan Kramer made a diplomatic faux pas when she gave the mayor of Taipei a watch as a gift in January 2005.
What other Chinese superstitions do you know? I'd be interested to hear them!
What other Chinese superstitions do you know? I'd be interested to hear them!
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