What's lucky And What's not in China?
Ever stayed in bed on a Friday the 13th?How many of you have spent hours on your hands and knees searching for a lucky, and illusive, four-leaf clover? In China, all the rules change. Ever make a cultural “faux pas?” Here we guide on how to get lucky and avoid bad luck in China.
你曾经在“黑色星期五’不敢出门吗?或者曾花费数个小时蹲在地上拴四叶(传说可为发现者带来幸运)？在中国人们可不吃这一套。中国人有自己的幸运说法与禁忌。
Good Luck 1:The Number Eight
Reason: The number eight is auspicious because the Cantonese pronunciation of eight, which is ba, is similar to fa一which means to accumulate wealth. The number eight is so lucky, in fact, that it is a popular choice-and more expensive-for mobile telephone numbers or vehicles' license plates. It is no accident that the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games Will be held on 08-08-2008!
Good Luck 2:Insulting a Baby
In some regions of China, people call newborns by pet names, such as "stinky little pig" or "dog fart."
Reason: Traditionally, it was believed that would protect the baby, keeping it from an early death, by fooling evil spirits into believing it wasn't a baby.
Good Luck 3:The Color Red
When it comes to the color red in China, you can never wear too much. Wedding dresses are normally made in this lucky color, to foreshadow thehappiness of the couple.
Good luck 4: Pairs or Multiples
Chinese believe even numbers are good luck. When buying a gift of fruit, for example, always buy six apples rather than five.
Bad Luck 1:Turning over a Cooked Fish
Turning a fish over on its plate isconsidered a bad omen. When eating fish, many people prefer to use their chopsticks to pull the flesh from beneath the fish.
Reason: This tradition originates from fishermen. They and their families would not turn over the fish, for fear their boats would capsize the next time they went fishing. Nowadays, some drivers of vehicles say they should not turn a fish over for fear of drastically turning the steering wheel and causing an accident.
Bad Luck 2:The Number Four
Reason: Si (four) sounds like si (death). It is hard to find a hospital with a ward four, and telephone numbers that include the number four cost the least.
Bad luck 3:Cutting a Pear in Half for Your lover
Reason: Fen Ii (to split a pear) also sounds like fen Ii (to depart). Therefore, it is unlucky to cut a pair in half for your lover, as it may result in your splitting up.
Bad luck 4:leaving Chopsticks Upright in Your Rice
Reason: It resembles an offering at a tomb after someone has died. This, of Course, is inappropriate at the dinner table.
Good Luck? Bad Luck?
There is a Chinese story of a farmer who used an old horse in his fields. One day, the horse escaped into the hills and when the farmer's neighbors sympathized withthe old man over his bad luck, the farmer replied, ’‘Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?" A week later, the horse returned with a herd of horses from the hills, and the neighbors congratulated the farmer on his good luck. His reply was, "Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?"
Then, when the farmer's son was attempting to tame one of the wild horses he fell off its back and broke his leg. Everyone thought that was bad luck. Not the farmer, whose only reaction was, "Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?”
Some weeks later, the army marched into the village and conscripted every able-bodied youth they found. When they saw the farmer's son with his broken leg, they let him off. Now, was that good luck or bad luck? Who knows?
Everything that seems, on the surface, to be bad luck may be good luck in disguise. And everything that seems fortunate may not be as it seems.
Taboo 1: Giving an Umbrella
Song san (deliver an umbrella) sounds like separation So, giving an umbrella to your loved one is a bad omen.
Taboo 2: Giving a Clock as a Gift
Reason: In Chinese a homophone for funeral, and giving be construed as your wishing death upon the person. Giving a clock can be seen as a curse.
Taboo 3: Do You like Vinegar?
At the dinner table, asking someone if he/she wants vinegar, chi cu, has a double meaning in Chinese: It also refers to being sexually jealous. This pun is a common cause of a dinner-time giggle. |
