the chinese perspecive on friday the 13

[jaimethepooh]

FRIDAY the 13th is not a date the Chinese would worry about. After all, the number 13 is not considered unlucky. In contrast, 13 to them means ‘definitely alive' as the number three sounds like ‘alive' in Cantonese, while 10 sounds like ‘definitely'.

Numbers, however, do play a role second only to food in Chinese custom and culture. It is believed that numbers can determine a person's fate – for example in the naming of a child.

Certain numbers are considered lucky, and others unlucky. The luckiest number in Chinese culture is eight, as its pronunciation resembles the Chinese word for ‘prosperity' or ‘fortune'. The bogey number is four, which sounds like the word for ‘dying' or ‘death'. Thus Chinese adhering to the customs would try to avoid the number four in, for example, car number plates, house addresses and so on. Superstitious Chinese, especially those from the older generation, don't like living on the 14th floor or at number 4 in a street. It is not uncommon to find some buildings built by Chinese without the 14th floor. Instead it is replaced by 13A.

There have been cases of Chinese home buyers willing to pay large sums of money to change their house numbers from 4 to 3A or 3B. Even worse is 44, because if four is death then 44 is certain death. Other than four, the number seven can also signify death, and one means loneliness.

Besides numbers, following are some general Chinese superstitions. • Brooms
Many superstitions are derived from brooms. Traditional Chinese culture holds that a broom is inhabited by a spirit, thus explaining why it should only be used for sweeping the floor and not be used for playing, etc. The broom should not be used for cleaning the household gods or altar as this is disrespectful. Chinese custom prohibits the use of the broom during the Chinese New Year as it is thought that use of it will sweep away the good luck the new year brings.

Beating a person with a broom will rain bad luck upon that person for years. The curse can however be lifted by rubbing the part of the body hit several times. The broom should never touch the head – this is very bad luck.

The broom is also sometimes used in temple rituals. Here, the person's whole body is swept with the broom in front of the deities and the broom then beaten. This functions to remove bad luck.

• Moustaches and beards
Despite a long history of beards and moustaches in Chinese heroes and Chinese deities pictured with beards, wearing a moustache is considered bad luck by Chinese custom, and can bring misfortune on the family and relatives of the wearer. Being unshaven is associated with the working classes – who are thought not to have time to shave – and thus lowers the status of the wearer.

• Finger and toe nails
Chinese custom forbids the clipping of one's toe or finger nails at night as it is believed that this may cause a visit from the dead or a ghost. Nail clippings are to be carefully collected and disposed of in a place unknown to others as it is believed that nail clippings can be used to cast a spell or curse upon the person from whom the clippings have come.
• The fluid from a dog's eye
Dogs are believed to have the ability to see supernatural beings such as ghosts and phantoms. If a dog howls continuously, it is believed that this presages an imminent death.

It is also believed that the fluid from a dog's eye can enable humans to see the spirit world, for example ancestors' souls. A medium will smear the fluid on his/her eyes in order to see the supernatural world for the purposes of exorcism, etc. However, it is believed that ordinary people who smear the fluid from a dog's eye on their own eyes may die from the shock of seeing the afterlife.

• Other customs and superstitions include:
# Dreaming of snow or teeth presages the death of a parent.
# Hearing a crow cawing between 3 and 7am means the hearer will receive gifts, whereas hearing a crow caw between 7 and 11am, rain and wind will follow, and between 11am and 1pm quarrels will ensue.
# If a man's ears burn it can mean special things: If they burn between 11pm and 1pm there will be harmony between him and his wife; if they burn between 1 and 3 in the afternoon, a guest will soon arrive.
# Yarrow and tortoiseshell are considered to be lucky.

[Advertisement]

[Willow]

That's interesting. I will have to tell Brian not to worry about his birthday falling on a Friday.

[jaimethepooh]

lol
tell happy birthday for me

[ckerr4]

Those are really interesting!

[Willow]

Originally posted by jaimethepooh
lol
tell happy birthday for me

Thank you, I will.

[jaimethepooh]

did anyone else find that dog's eye fluid a bit icky?

[ckerr4]

well, I don't think I'll be trying it anytime soon

[Syrinx]

Nope, I wouldn't try that either!

This was really interesting, thanks