Chinese signs. Scary number four. How not to wash away your luck

Having lived in China for several years, I noticed an interesting feature of Chinese culture. The culture is thoroughly saturated with superstitions and signs. Chinese signs and superstitions inherited the historical experience of the ancient Chinese. There is no more superstitious nation than the Chinese. They have a superstition or saying for almost every day. The Chinese themselves are incredibly proud of their superstitious culture, since Chinese civilization is one of the oldest. This means that a lot of knowledge has been accumulated in understanding the world order. Many superstitions are so archaic that they are inapplicable in the modern world simply because such things, clothes, and traditions no longer exist. But there remains a huge layer of superstitions and signs that are still applicable today. The Chinese sincerely believe that countries with non-superstitious populations simply lack historical and cultural heritage.

The topic of superstitions and omens in China is incredibly complex. Not only for its archaic content, but also for its fragmentation. Literally every province, city and home has its own beliefs that are passed down in the family. There are 56 ethnic groups in China, each of which has its own unique ethnic life, customs and beliefs. Therefore, it is not possible to put together all the beliefs of the Chinese.

Many beliefs, as I already said, have lost or are losing their relevance due to the rapid development of technology and lifestyle. Despite the abundant influence of the West on the way of life of modern Chinese, many superstitions and signs are ineradicable in their minds. Modern Chinese, no matter which country they hold a passport from, still believe in family omens. Even young Chinese respect a culture that has accumulated wisdom for 7,000 years (the Chinese count down time even before the advent of Tian Di).

The history of China has accumulated many folk tales. I put together superstitions and beliefs that I have heard for several years. The superstitions I have collected can be considered the main signs and superstitions of the Chinese. Because Guangdong people are considered the most superstitious.

The five most superstitious places in China:

Guangdong Province
Taiwan and Hong Kong
Fujian Province
Beijing
Shandong Province

1. Girls with high cheekbones bring failure to their husbands in work and business.

I have a Chinese friend who is beautiful and smart. However, she is not married. I have repeatedly heard from our mutual friends about high cheekbones bringing bad luck.

You cannot pick up money or a red envelope from the ground, it is believed that this is charmed money. The tradition of afterlife weddings is still strong in China. By picking up a red envelope from the ground, an instant engagement occurs with a person who has already passed away. And it is no longer possible to get debunked.
In a strong wind during a thunderstorm, you cannot shout loudly; you can anger the Supreme Deity. Then the person will face health problems.
Relatives cannot mourn loudly for a person who has died from a lightning strike, otherwise they will frighten Tian Di (the supreme deity in Chinese mythology) with tears and he will not let it rain for a long time.
The woman on the ship is unfortunate. A woman on a ship is not allowed to go to the toilet; she is not allowed to be on the bow of the ship.
A man should not go to the toilet at the bow of a ship. Before going to sea, you cannot talk about misfortunes. It is necessary to hold a blessing ceremony for a successful exit to the sea. If you neglect to ask for good luck at sea, an unforeseen unfortunate event will definitely happen.
Before leaving home, you cannot talk about misfortunes and failures. And when visiting friends, you cannot foreshadow bad events or unrealistic events.
In the forest, if bird droppings fall on a person, expect bad luck.
While on the street at night after 00.00, if you hear your name behind you, you should not turn your head. When you turn your head, you lose your soul. The ghost easily enters the body and remains to live in it.
While at the wake, relatives give a red envelope and sweets. You must immediately eat the candy and spend the money from the red envelope on the same day. Such gifts cannot be kept. They will bring illness, and if spent immediately, they will bring good luck.
After the engagement, you cannot have a wedding in the next six months.
Numerical superstitions: 4 - means death, 23 - problems with the head, 250 - the number of fools, if there are 4 sons in a family, you need to say that there are 5 sons in the family. Number superstitions are related to pronunciation in Chinese.
The third hieroglyph in the name of one family cannot be the same. Neither in writing nor in pronunciation
Children should not call their elders by their full names.
When tying shoe laces, you should not stomp with both feet.
When kneading the dough, do not knock on it, this will lead to pain and upset stomach.
They don’t wash or sweep the floor when there are guests; this means that you are sending guests away; they are not welcome.
You cannot wash or sweep the floors in the evening. Especially if a daughter in the family got married. When you sweep the floor in the evening, you sweep away happiness from your daughter’s family.
When visiting a patient in the hospital, you cannot give a pear. In Chinese, “pear” is consonant with the word “to break up.”
A pregnant woman cannot come to her parents' home for the birth. A woman who has just given birth cannot play with other people's children.
People with the same last name cannot marry.
The dining table is not placed opposite the front door.
When placing dishes on the table, you cannot start from the window. Otherwise, too much air will blow in from the window and burping will begin.
You cannot stand on the threshold or lean on the frame of the front door. Thus, you make it clear to the owner that, in your opinion, you are not welcome.
When writing a letter, you cannot use red ink, you cannot sign it with a red pen. You cannot highlight text on your computer in red.
You should not point your finger at a person, especially with your little finger. This is a demonstration of contempt for a person.
After the gua sha procedure, you should not shower to avoid the disease-causing Qi energy. You can dry yourself with a towel.
You cannot place a mirror opposite the front door of the house; it attracts evil spirits and brings misfortune to the house.
You cannot hang a mirror so that it reflects the next room, this will lead to illness
Moving and cooking in the kitchen on Hungry Ghost Day is not allowed. Feast of Hunger Signs in September. It is better not to move throughout September, and if moving cannot be avoided, then do not cook in the kitchen. On Hungry Ghost Day, relatives honor the dead by burning money and leaving food. Those who are not remembered take to the streets and harm the living. And they can tag along with people moving to a new home. Spirits move into a new home and harm the family all year long.
In the evening, be sure to draw the curtains tightly so that evil spirits do not become interested in the house
Centipede insects should not be killed; they bring good luck and wealth to the house. Seeing a centipede is good luck.
You cannot hold an umbrella in your hands upside down. The umbrella is not held by the handle only at funerals.
You cannot open an umbrella at home, otherwise the children will grow short.
You cannot grow flowers and a tree in the middle of a south-facing window, otherwise you will face disaster or death
You cannot grow juniper and evergreen at home; these flowers are brought to graves
You cannot grow mulberry and fig trees in your house or apartment; in the villages they say: these plants bring suffering, and young girls will not be able to get married.
You can’t talk about mice at home, otherwise they will come into your house.
If you see a rat or snake hiding in a hole, you are in trouble. Seeing snakes mating is also unlucky.
A snake that has crawled home cannot be killed, otherwise trouble will come to the house.
If you have an argument with someone, you do not need to take off your pants or sit on the floor, this action will lead to big troubles. And a quarrel will not soon lead to peace.
Before bringing the sculpture of Guanyin Bodhisattva home, a ceremony is required. At the entrance, burn incense and crack firecrackers, otherwise the power of the Deity will not be effective.
The statue of the Goddess Guan Yin should not be placed above one's head.
Bothisattva Guanyin
After 30 years, you cannot completely eat the fish; you must leave it. As they say, then there will be prosperity year after year
On the first day of the new year you cannot: comb your hair, tidy up, buy things, swear, beat children, fight. You can't break dishes either - the year will be unsuccessful. You cannot borrow money and collect debts - it will lead to bad luck in the new year in all endeavors. You can't sweep the floors - your luck will be swept away. You can't cut your hair. A married woman should not return to her parents' home on the first day of the New Year; this will lead to poverty. Clothes cannot be washed. The first day of the new year is the birthday of the water spirit. Therefore, water should not be wasted or wasted.
For the New Year you need to dress in all red
When eating, chopsticks are placed to the right of the plate. On the left - only to the person who has passed away.
Before a long trip, drink water from a bowl so that the journey is smooth and calm.
The age difference should not exceed six years, otherwise the marriage is unhappy.
If your left eye twitches, expect trouble.
The mirror cannot be placed opposite the bed. Having suddenly woken up, a person is still in another world and can be frightened to the point of serious problems with his head.
You cannot give watches, umbrellas, fans or glasses. This is due to the Chinese language, which is full of homophones. The clock is consonant with 送终sòngzhōng to prepare a loved one for burial. See you off on your final journey. Umbrella – 散sàn, sǎn to disperse. Glass – 悲bēi to grieve, grieve and mourn
The pear cannot be cut in half and eaten. Again connected with the consonant pronunciation 离lí - to separate, to separate. Cutting a pear in half predicts a quick separation from your loved one.
After visiting a cemetery, you cannot go to birthday parties for one hundred days. Conversely, you should not visit a cemetery within one hundred days after your birthday. One hundred days is a sacred number for the Chinese. It is precisely for one hundred days that a newborn cannot be taken outside.
Place scissors under the mattress of a child's bed to protect against evil spirits
It is better for a young mother with a baby to change the route when meeting a pregnant woman. It is believed that pregnant women are envious and can unleash evil spirits with their thoughts. While waiting to meet their baby, pregnant women envy young mothers.
After being discharged from the maternity hospital, and arriving home for the first time with your baby, you need to step over the fire. The fire will keep evil spirits at the doorstep of the house.
Be sure to keep your belly warm, especially for small children. The first thing that freezes is the stomach. A cold stomach leads to illness. Children wear special “belly covers”. In Russia, the legs are kept warm, and in China, the stomach is kept warm.
Abdominal
The road/path to the water door should not be straight, otherwise the path to or from the house will attract minor troubles.
Children should not eat a lot of caviar, otherwise they will turn into fools
At the beginning of summer (period from May 7), children should not sit on the threshold of the house or on the roof of the house. Otherwise they will be sick all summer.
At the table, while eating, you should never stick chopsticks into food, especially into a bowl of rice. In this way, the deceased is remembered.
The kettle should not be placed with the spout pointing towards a person. Bad sign.
You cannot take chopsticks with your index finger pointing at the person. This way of taking chopsticks is considered unethical.
If the stick rice spills onto the table or grains of rice fall into the recess, a crime will be committed and you will be implicated in it.

According to Chinese traditions, New Year celebrations come with many taboos. However, in recent years, some prohibitions have become less strict, especially among modern urban residents in large cities and the younger generation.

New Year's taboos

The following prohibitions are associated with the first day of Chinese New Year.

Medicine. The main taboo is that you cannot practice herbal medicine or take medications: they believe that a person who neglects this prohibition will be sick for a whole year. In some regions, at midnight, at the time of the New Year, sick Chinese break jars of their medicine in the belief that this will drive away the disease.

New Year's breakfast. You cannot eat porridge in the morning, because it is believed that only poor people eat it. And since the Chinese don't want to start the year poor, they cook rice in the hope that the family will be rich for the coming year. In addition, you cannot eat meat for breakfast as a sign of respect for the Buddhist gods (who do not approve of killing animals), since on this day all the gods meet and wish each other a Happy New Year.

Wash. The Chinese do not wash clothes on the first and second day of the New Year because these two days are considered the birthday of Shuishen (水神, God of Water).

Can't use a needle. You should also not cut something with a knife or scissors to avoid any accidents: a cut or breakage of a tool, according to the Chinese, will lead to adverse consequences and financial difficulties in the coming year.

A woman should not leave her home. Otherwise, she will face troubles throughout the coming year.

A married daughter should not visit her parents. This is believed to bring misfortune and significant financial difficulties to the family.

Cleaning before the New Year. A few days before the new year, the Chinese do a cleaning to sweep away all bad luck and prepare the house to receive new good fortune.

Cleaning for the New Year. Drop everything and relax. The most pleasant Chinese New Year taboo is the ban on cleaning. The Chinese believe that by cleaning you sweep all your luck out the door.

Books in Hong Kong. If you are in Hong Kong, then stock up on books in advance, before the onset of the Chinese New Year, as all bookstores will be closed on New Year’s Day, due to the fact that in Cantonese, the word “book” is consonant with the word “lose”

Do not Cry on New Year's Day. Otherwise you will cry all year.

All windows and doors in the house on New Year's Eve there should be open to drive away the old year and embrace the new one.

All debts need to return before the New Year. You cannot leave them until next year, otherwise it is believed that then the person will have to repay the debt for a whole year

Taboos during the Spring Festival celebration

During the New Year celebrations (from the 1st to the 15th of the Lunar New Year), the Chinese try to prevent the following situations from developing.

It is believed that baby scream brings misfortune to the family, so parents do everything possible to prevent children from crying.

Tool failure or any equipment during this period is associated with loss of wealth in the coming year. Therefore, businessmen and people working in the trade sector take all available precautions to protect themselves from such cases.

Hospital visit during the celebration of the Spring Festival, according to the Chinese, it can bring illness to a person for the entire coming year. Therefore, visits to the hospital are avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Theft. During the Spring Festival, you should not allow other people to take anything out of your pockets, including money, and you should also take care not to be robbed, as this foretells the loss of all your wealth in the coming year.

Rice storage container should not remain empty. This is a major concern for the Chinese, as not being able to cook rice on New Year's Day is a bad omen.

Torn clothes. You cannot wear torn clothes, even if they are new. If children wear such clothes during the first lunar month, it may bring bad luck.

Murders. Killing is prohibited on the Spring Festival, as shedding blood is a bad omen that will lead to misfortunes, stabbings or even disasters.

You cannot wear white or black clothes, as these two colors are traditionally associated with mourning.

New Year's Eve. Traditionally, the Chinese go to bed very late on New Year's Day because they must wait until midnight and then set off fireworks and fireworks to scare away evil spirits and the New Year's monster Nian.

On the first day of the lunar year you can't wash your hair. In Chinese, the word for hair (发) is pronounced the same as (and is derived from) fa V facai(发财), which means "to be rich." Washing away your wealth at the start of the New Year is not a good idea.

You cannot give watches, scissors and pears, since in Chinese culture negative associations are associated with these items.

When paper dragons are prepared for Chinese New Year, women on menstrual days, people in mourning and children do not do it being close to dragons when the dragon's body is covered with cloth.

Shoes in Hong Kong. Don't buy new shoes during the New Year period. In Cantonese, the word for "shoe" is similar to the word for "roughness"

Talk about ghosts. Are you getting together with a group during the New Year? – no stories about ghosts and death. Such stories are not acceptable on Chinese New Year.

Sweets. Chinese New Year is a great excuse to visit a candy store. According to legend, eating sweets on New Year's Day will bring a sweet year.

Red color. Chinese New Year is very colorful, but the most important color is red. It is believed to bring good luck.

Read also

Signs exist among any nation and in any country, because they are part of a common cultural tradition. Whether to follow them or not, each person decides for himself, but following such signs changes the behavior of any individual in society, therefore, it is better to at least be a little oriented in the superstitions of another country, even if you are just transferring money to China. This will help you choose a policy for communicating with its citizens.

In some cases, signs are completely justified by common sense, but some of them are completely inexplicable either by historical events or by the geographical location of the country. There are a huge number of superstitions and prejudices in China; it is, of course, simply impossible to describe them all. If you use the services of the Transitplus company (for example, cargo transportation services, storing a consignment of goods in a warehouse), which is an intermediary in China, you do not need to know about the superstitions of the Chinese. And for those who are interested in life and the traditions of the Celestial Empire, we will tell you about the most interesting and unusual superstitions of the inhabitants of this country:

1. It is strictly forbidden to hit someone with a broom, this will cause misfortunes that will last a lifetime.

2. If a man’s face is not perfectly smooth, then in addition to his unattractive appearance, he will suffer from lack of luck; this rule does not apply to mustaches

3. When a dog barks protractedly and for a long time at night, and you hear it, it means that someone nearby has moved to a better world, leaving this one.

4. In China, it is considered uncultured to stick chopsticks into food, especially if it is rice; this can only be done if you want to honor the memory of a deceased person. After all, they resemble smoking sticks that are lit in honor of the memory of people who have passed on to another world.

5. A baby crying for no apparent reason was afraid of spirits, this is exactly what the superstitious residents of the state believe.

6. You cannot live in a house with a facade facing north, otherwise even a happy family will fall apart.

7. Do not marry or be married to a person who is three or six years older than you. This is a very negative sign; it is believed that the marriage will be extremely unsuccessful and will end in tears.

8. Cutting and trimming your fingernails and toenails after it gets dark will definitely invite ghosts into your home, so you should absolutely not do this, unless, of course, you want to see a ghost.

9. If a person points at the moon in the night sky with one finger, no matter which one, then his ears will certainly hurt or his hearing will decrease.

10. If a person keeps a turtle as a pet, then his business and career will be extremely unsuccessful, or at least he will simply not be able to achieve maximum success.

11. Eight brings good luck. A telephone number with it, or an address with this number, is considered an excellent sign, so it is not customary to refuse such options.

12. The number 4 brings only bad luck and grief.

13.8, 18, 13, 168, 666 and 888 attract happiness and good fortune.

14. If you sleep at night while celebrating the Chinese New Year, you can sleep through all your personal happiness.

15. The longer the noodles in the soup, the more years you will live.

Do you believe in omens? Where do superstitions come from? The older the civilization, the richer its culture. Rich culture=numerous traditions. And traditions are also superstitions and signs. China can really boast of the number of the latter. I propose to divide all the folklore of the Celestial Empire into 5 main themes.

Animals

Perhaps the main symbol of China from the animal world is the Dragon (we’ll talk about the panda another time). If in our culture little animals ala Zmey Gorynych are heroes with a minus sign, in the culture of the Celestial Empire the Dragon is a symbol of success and strength, also personifying protection. That is why they love to use Him in national symbols and architecture. The dragon is also given great importance in the horoscope. They say that people born in His year are more willing to be hired. Well, if you didn’t manage to be born in the year of the Dragon, it doesn’t matter. The Chinese also respect horses. The horse in the Celestial Empire is a symbol of speed and luck. Why speed, I think, is clear. But what about luck? In ancient times, these animals were often used as a reward for the winner of a battle or competition. Hence the Chinese Horse Association with its real success. What about mini-beasts? The tripod frog (the one that holds a coin in its mouth) is a symbol of wealth. And the word “fish” is a homophone of the Chinese “wealth” and “excess”. Her symbol is also very valuable in the Middle Kingdom. As for other representatives of the fauna, the Chinese treat the elephant and the tiger with warmth.

Numbers

Outside of China, you can often hear stories that you can’t find the 4 button in the elevator in the Celestial Empire, the Chinese skip this floor in the house (although how this is possible is unclear) and generally fall into a stupor at the sight of 4-k. After all, “4” in Chinese is pronounced the same way as “death”. In fact, the attitude towards this number in China is similar to how we treat 13. The superstitious are unlikely to go on a trip on this day, while others will not pay any attention to it. The fainting of the Chinese at the sight of 4-k is slightly exaggerated. But 4+4 is very good! After all, 8 in China means wealth and prosperity. And 6 is considered an excellent number for business, because it is consonant with the Chinese “flow” - the one that is monetary.

Colors

The color red is held in special esteem in China. Even the traditional wedding attire here is also red. As they say, for good luck. It is also customary to put money as a New Year gift in a red envelope. And I don’t think there is any need to talk about the amount of this color on the streets and in houses during the holidays. Gold (a symbol of wealth) and green (ecology and money, well, where would we be without them) colors enjoy a good reputation in China. But white, on the contrary, symbolizes mourning. Although, today's youth have little faith in omens. It’s not for nothing that classic European wedding dresses in white are so popular here from year to year.

Food

Food in China is not just a necessity, but a whole ritual. There are many superstitions and traditions associated with it. For example, why are apples good in China? But pears - not so much? The sound of an apple coincides with the word “peace”, “well-being”. But pear is a homophone for “parting.” As for cutlery, if in Russia a fork falls at the table, it’s time for guests to arrive. In China, dropping a stick means trouble. Also, chopsticks should not be stuck into food. Here the Chinese have an association with incense sticks in a sand temple, symbolizing a funeral ceremony. In Russia, spilling salt means a quarrel. In China, scattering pepper means betrayal of a loved one. And, by the way, a few words about the Chinese burp, which causes such shock among foreigners. By the way, in China this is an attribute of a good dinner. However, now many are trying to adhere to European standards of decency. But, if you are wondering where it came from, know that all this is folklore, and not at all a disgrace.

Present

It is not customary to give watches as gifts in China. And here the matter is again in the homophone of the phrase, it coincides with another expression - “to attend the funeral.” Umbrellas in China are a symbol of parting, but flowers are usually given to people in hospitals. Good news for those who are usually ready to be discharged. And, by the way, it is normal for the Chinese to refuse a gift 2-3 times. Never mind, keep giving.

The peculiarity of the Chinese language greatly influenced the formation of signs in this ancient culture. A large number of hieroglyphs and a small number of pinyins (phonetics for reading hieroglyphs) have led to the fact that words and expressions that are completely different in meaning very often sound the same. This is good for the birth of new signs and not so good for superstitious people. That’s why the Chinese are frightened by fours, pears and watches.

Chinese talismans and amulets are often used by Europeans to attract good luck and protect against misfortune. Numerous superstitions are so deeply rooted in the minds of people that even in the modern era they are given special significance. But when purchasing Chinese protective amulets, many do not think about the superstitions and prohibitions that have long existed among the Chinese. Here are just a few of these beliefs that play a special role for the Chinese people.

There shouldn't be two dogs in the house

The Chinese have a rich and complex language in which hieroglyphs are attributed special magical powers. Incorrect writing or combination of Chinese characters can cause failure. The ban on owning two dogs is just one example that clearly demonstrates this. To put it more simply, having two dogs means there are two mouths in the house that need food. The combination of the hieroglyphs for the words "mouth" and "dog" forms the verb "to cry." Therefore, two dogs in the same house are considered a bad omen by the Chinese, because they can bring grief and tears to the family.

If we consider this Chinese superstition taking into account ordinary logic, then the statement turns out to be quite convincing. It's easier to take care of one dog than two. One animal can be given more attention and free time. The only funny thing is that the Chinese, who consider it a bad omen to have two dogs in the house, do not see anything wrong with acquiring three, four or more four-legged friends. Only two dogs are considered a symbol of bad luck. And to get around the taboo, the Chinese came up with a good idea. You can be the owner of two dogs if there is a third one in the house, but not necessarily a live one, because a life-size figurine of the animal is enough.

You can't share a pear with your loved one

Here the point is not in the pear, but in the same peculiarity of the Chinese language, which imposes a number of restrictions. Unlike the first Chinese superstition with dogs, this sign is associated with the sound of the word. In Chinese, the word "pear" is pronounced "li". This is exactly what the Chinese word for “separation” sounds like. Therefore, it is believed that eating the same pear together can lead to a break in the relationship between lovers. This is one of the strange Chinese superstitions that defies any logical explanation.

You can't give a watch

This is probably one of the Chinese superstitions, which is somewhat reminiscent of a sign common among Europeans. This prohibition must be observed especially strictly in relation to older people. In Chinese, the word "clock" is formed by two characters that mean "time" and "stop". Therefore, giving someone a watch is literally wishing that time would stop for that person, which, simply put, means death.

Scary number four

If Europeans are superstitiously afraid of everything numbered 13, then for the Chinese this analogue can be called the number four. In Chinese it sounds like “si”, which also serves as the word for “death”. Therefore, many Chinese try in every possible way to avoid this number. In China, you may find that apartment building and hotel elevators do not have a button for the fourth floor. Apartments or living quarters are rarely located on the fourth floor, since it is believed that life there will be a continuous streak of failures. This same number is usually overlooked when planning particularly important events. Superstitious Chinese are unlikely to travel on the 4th, 14th or 24th. Even those who do not suffer from paranoia tend to avoid flights in which this figure is present.

Black and white are prohibited

If tourists want to stand out (in a bad way) among the Chinese, then they should give preference to exclusively white or black clothing. These two colors symbolize death among the Chinese. At funerals you can see Chinese wearing exclusively black or white clothes. Therefore, you should not come to visit the Chinese wearing clothes of such colors if you do not want to offend the hospitable hosts. True, modern Chinese youth, as a rule, ignore these superstitions. In China or Hong Kong you can meet many young people in black jackets.

Illustration: depositphotos | ryanking999

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