Chinese superstitions

[Dennis143]

I realize there have been other threads posted about Chinese superstitions. But, after reading Amber's website and her list of superstitions, I wonder if any of you would share your experiences on this. Have there been superstitions that you have had to overcome or retrain your SO? Some of these superstitions have been confirmed by my Chinese friends. And, I wonder if my SO will bring these with her. I traveled to Nanning on dates that were given to her aunt and mother by a fortune teller

 

Some of these superstitions are from not sleeping with a fan on you to shaving a child's head at 2 years old to grow the hair full to not bathing during a woman's time of the month.

I am just wondering if superstitions are something that I will need to realize, when my SO is with me. Other than the cute and whimsical, are there any superstitions that I will honestly need her to overcome, say for purpose of health, for example?

Edited August 30, 2005 by Dennis143 (see edit history)

[tonado]

My wife's date of flying has to be approved by a Chinese astrology book. My wife's sister doesn't display tissues in the house. The tissues mean sadness (need them for crying).

 

Some Chinese would not look at a book on the day they play MJ or gambling. The Chinese word for book sounds like "losing".

Edited August 29, 2005 by ttlee_99 (see edit history)

[Cerberus]

Yin doesn't have many supersitions, except one. A person never say's bad things or talks of death. She believes if it is talked about, it will happen.

[Dennis143]

Yin doesn't have many supersitions, except one.?A person never say's bad things or talks of death.?She believes if it is talked about, it will happen.

150786[/snapback]

Yes, I found this out early. My SO rides a motorcycle to work. When I asked that she take a bus or taxi (that I would pay for), I learned that by my thinking that some harm could come to her, by riding a motorcycle, I was causing fate to incur harm. So, I just told her to continue to ride carefully...but the traffic in Nanning, Yikes!

Edited August 29, 2005 by Dennis143 (see edit history)

[Yuanyang]

She likes to wear black, but black sheets or any black in the bedroom is a no-no.

[frank1538]

More superstitions than I can remember. Two that immediately come to mind: talk of death is followed by spitting and never tickle a baby's soles for fear of damaging the child's ability to walk.

[BuffaloPaul]

Not sure if I would call them superstitions as much as "old wives tales" she relies on. She has tons of ideas that have an unknown basis. For example, she needs to open the windows every day to get fresh air (even in winter) otherwise the air will be stale and stale air causes sickness, can't walk on the carpet from shower to bed, because its dirty and will transfer germs to bed.

Edited August 29, 2005 by BuffaloPaul (see edit history)

[warpedbored]

More superstitions than I can remember.  Two that immediately come to mind:  talk of death is followed by spitting and never tickle a baby's soles for fear of damaging the child's ability to walk.

150825[/snapback]

I was cautioning my wiife to be careful driving home from work because she is tired. I told her I worry about her "going boom!" (Binglish for accident). She told me not tos say such things since that may make them come true.

[skibum]

I am sure there are some common Chinese superstitions but how do you know if it is a superstition or just the way one family does things?

I would think that farmers would be more superstitious as their lives depend on nature and if something worked last year and there was a good harvest, lets do it again this year.

I wonder if superstitions may be a replacement for religion.

I have not noticed that my wife has any.

[msmckee]

After Yue became pregnant, I was informed that we could not move the bed or tables. Since I had gained so much weight after we were married it meant were having a boy. Now that we know that we are having a girl, must mean that I am not fat enough

[Dan R]

I am sure there are some common Chinese superstitions but how do you know if it is a superstition or just the way one family does things?

I would think that farmers would be more superstitious as their lives depend on nature and if something worked last year and there was a good harvest, lets do it again  this year.

I wonder if superstitions may be a replacement for religion.

I have not noticed that my wife has any.

150944[/snapback]

Remember that religion was discouraged until recently. Asians view religion differently than westerners. They can accept several without seeing it as a contradiction. There is not the same either this or that involved. Universal truths may come in many forms and explanations. Superstitions are usually easy ways to explain the inexplicable. Westerners seem to have a greater need for things to be defined.

 

As for the superstitions mentioned above, I've heard of all of those from people that have no contact with things Chinese. I guess supersitions are rather common world wide.

[izus]

I am sure there are some common Chinese superstitions but how do you know if it is a superstition or just the way one family does things?

I would think that farmers would be more superstitious as their lives depend on nature and if something worked last year and there was a good harvest, lets do it again  this year.

I wonder if superstitions may be a replacement for religion.

I have not noticed that my wife has any.

150944[/snapback]

Remember that religion was discouraged until recently. Asians view religion differently than westerners. They can accept several without seeing it as a contradiction. There is not the same either this or that involved. Universal truths may come in many forms and explanations. Superstitions are usually easy ways to explain the inexplicable. Westerners seem to have a greater need for things to be defined.

 

As for the superstitions mentioned above, I've heard of all of those from people that have no contact with things Chinese. I guess supersitions are rather common world wide.

150969[/snapback]

i would have to agree with you Dan about the world wide thing although some races have more then others...

i dont think China is so crazed by them because of the religion absence..

however i could be wrong....

hispanics and brasilians have some crazy beliefs i think because of the rampid voodoo that goes on down south ( a type of religion)

i think that somehow ties all that stuff together....down there

ears burning, palms itching, aquarium fish dieing, holes in socks, holes in sheets and ofcourse the white candals...

 

 

the only one that i have noticed about Chun so far (not living with her) is someting about the laundry in the refrigerator

 

has anyone heard about this?

[Dan R]

Is that good or bad luck?

[jim_julian]

The only thing I've ever seen along these lines from lao po is that red is a lucky color.

 

She does the red thread thing around Chinese New Year and likes to wear red "small pants" although she look great in the black ones too.

 

I class the red thing more as a tradition than a superstition.

[tonado]

The only thing I've ever seen along these lines from lao po is that red is a lucky color.

 

She does the red thread thing around Chinese New Year and likes to wear red "small pants" although she look great in the black ones too.

 

I class the red thing more as a tradition than a superstition.

151002[/snapback]

Every Chinese New Years, my wife's parents put Spring Couplets on the walls or on the sides of the gate-ways.

 

http://www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/festiv...ring%20Couplets