Those old slippers

[lou]

OK, It's just something that came up today so I'll post it .

 

We talk about our cultural differences and certain customs our

SO's might have and I thought I had most of them covered thanks

to CFL until I came home tonight. Guichun started getting on me about

my slippers, "too old, buy new". I told her to buy me a pair the next

time she went shopping and she said "no way!!"

 

"If I buy for you anything you use for your feet, we are finished"

and I must leave .

 

I reminded her of the slippers I bought for her last winter, the

ones she loves and uses everyday! Her answer, "you didn't know

the custom so it's not your fault"

 

Yes........... I'm loving life!

[David&Wendy]

OK, It's just something that came up today so I'll post it .

 

We talk about our cultural differences and certain customs our

SO's might have and I thought I had most of them covered thanks

to CFL until I came home tonight. Guichun started getting on me about

my slippers, "too old, buy new". I told her to buy me a pair the next

time she went shopping and she said "no way!!"

 

"If I buy for you anything you use for your feet, we are finished"

and I must leave .

 

I reminded her of the slippers I bought for her last winter, the

ones she loves and uses everyday! Her answer, "you didn't know

the custom so it's not your fault"

 

Yes........... I'm loving life!

 

but she still won't buy you the new pair of slippers....

[lou]

OK, It's just something that came up today so I'll post it .

 

We talk about our cultural differences and certain customs our

SO's might have and I thought I had most of them covered thanks

to CFL until I came home tonight. Guichun started getting on me about

my slippers, "too old, buy new". I told her to buy me a pair the next

time she went shopping and she said "no way!!"

 

"If I buy for you anything you use for your feet, we are finished"

and I must leave .

 

I reminded her of the slippers I bought for her last winter, the

ones she loves and uses everyday! Her answer, "you didn't know

the custom so it's not your fault"

 

Yes........... I'm loving life!

 

but she still won't buy you the new pair of slippers....

 

Her words, "never"

[Dennis143]

OK Lou, it has been confirmed by my Nanning wife that it is not good luck to by house shoes for husband. She went on to say how it was also not good luck to buy husband clock, etc etc.

 

Go and buy yourself a nice pair of slippers, brother.

[lou]

OK Lou, it has been confirmed by my Nanning wife that it is not good luck to by house shoes for husband. She went on to say how it was also not good luck to buy husband clock, etc etc.

 

Go and buy yourself a nice pair of slippers, brother.

 

How about if you buy her slippers? What did she say ?

[Dennis143]

OK Lou, it has been confirmed by my Nanning wife that it is not good luck to by house shoes for husband. She went on to say how it was also not good luck to buy husband clock, etc etc.

 

Go and buy yourself a nice pair of slippers, brother.

 

How about if you buy her slippers? What did she say ?

Ok. I went and asked her, Lou. Now she changes her story. It you are married, it does not matter if she buys me house shoes or if I buy her house shoes.

 

Looks like you're on your own to sort this one out, my friend, as I am as confused as you now.

Edited August 14, 2007 by Dennis143 (see edit history)

[lou]

OK Lou, it has been confirmed by my Nanning wife that it is not good luck to by house shoes for husband. She went on to say how it was also not good luck to buy husband clock, etc etc.

 

Go and buy yourself a nice pair of slippers, brother.

 

How about if you buy her slippers? What did she say ?

Ok. I went and asked her, Lou. Now she changes her story. It you are married, it does not matter if she buys me house shoes or if I buy her house shoes.

 

Looks like you're on your own to sort this one out, my friend, as I am as confused as you now.

 

Such a simple thing, just glad I got you in a little trouble

[SirLancelot]

Lou, this superstition is with regards to shoes generally, not just house slippers. The Chinese word for "shoe(s)" has the same pronunciation (in pu tong hua) as the word "evil".

 

Obviously not every believes in this, but it's said to be not a good idea to give shoes as a gift or to buy for someone, as if you do, you're giving them (or buying for them) evil. That is the idea behind why one should not buy shoes for another or to give shoes as gifts.

Edited August 14, 2007 by SirLancelot (see edit history)

[jim_julian]

Hmmmm ...

 

The first time I came to China Lao Po bought house shoes for me

 

The second time I came to China I found out that, after I left the first time, her baba sold the aforementioned house shoes (he's a resourceful guy)

 

 

Now does that mean that she wished me bad luck and that he (by selling them) tried to restore good luck?

 

 

Maybe I should ask ...

[IllinoisDave]

My Shanghai SO also had a new pair of slippers ready for me when I made my first trip. And we were staying in a Ramada, which supplies them in your room.

So I don't think she sees it as any kind of taboo. Maybe it's a regional thing or less prevalent in the larger cities?

[pcgm1571]

I agree, this is not universal.

 

I SO had new house shoes waiting for me while I stayed in China with her. I bought some american shoes and brought for her to wear at the interview. She thought that was great!

 

Calvin

[lostinblue]

Yan said she has never heard of this before(we just make sure they are on sale or it will be bad luck for me when I get home )

[lou]

A lot of your responses have been right on. Guichun always had

slippers for me during my visits. I don't know what changed when

she came here but she just told me that if she buys me any kind of

footwear, it means that she's telling me to leave, get out!

 

In her eyes, I will almost always get a free pass. She tells me that

these are Chinese customs and because I'm American, don't feel

bad if I don't understand.

 

I gave her a few gifts that might be considered Taboo by her

customs, but being the trooper that she is, she's just enjoying

them . I think she has a list of things she may want and tells

me not to worry about certain customs . Yet, I can't get a new

pair of slippers.

 

Of course all of this is true and yes, I can buy a new pair of

slippers. I just love trying to figure out their logic. Not sure if

it's a culture thing or just a women thing

 

First time married, I'm still trying to figure out a lot!!!!

[David&Wendy]

OK Lou, it has been confirmed by my Nanning wife that it is not good luck to by house shoes for husband. She went on to say how it was also not good luck to buy husband clock, etc etc.

 

 

 

Taboos abound in China. From buying someone a clock in China, a free Taiwan and the biggest taboo in China is being anti-chinese goverment.

[chilton747]

I first heard of this taboo from a friend of mine that went for his first visit to see his girlfriend. They were walking in GZ and his feet were hurting. He told her that he needed some new shoes so they went to a shop where she offered to buy shoes for him. Unknowingly he accepted. When they got to the hotel she started packing his bags as she was crying. He did not understand what was going on so he had her call a friend that spoke good english to get the matter cleared up. Upon his arrival to the US he called me and told me what happened but he still did not understand. I asked my wife about this and she rolled over laughing when she told me of the taboo. She told me that by her buying shoes for him it meant that he was to walk away from her. She is a city girl from GZ. My wife is from rural China. My wife told me that we will never buy each other shoes. That will come in handy when she gets here because I do not have any slippers and I AIN'T wearing any when she gets here.