Let’s hear some zany Chinese superstitions (or western ones) that you’ve heard.
How serious do you think people are about these?
I believe we all have some ingrained superstitions (don’t open umbrellas inside, don’t pick up a coin if it’s tails up, knock on wood, don’t walk under a ladder etc)
But I think the Taiwanese carry superstitions to the Nth degree. Like to the point where they merge with things like feng shui and medicine.
Again, this is for research and I appreciate your contributions.
Girlfriend’s mother forbids me to whistle at night. Apparently, it calls ghosts. She clearly doesn’t realize that whistling REPELS ghosts. For example, when you whistle while walking past a graveyard.
I’m told you’re not supposed to touch or pat pregnant women on the back. It might cause a miscarriage. Also, pregnant women aren’t supposed to take any vitamins, because they’re a kind of drug.
[quote=“Screaming Jesus”]Girlfriend’s mother forbids me to whistle at night. Apparently, it calls ghosts. She clearly doesn’t realize that whistling REPELS ghosts. For example, when you whistle while walking past a graveyard.
I’m told you’re not supposed to touch or pat pregnant women on the back. It might cause a miscarriage. Also, pregnant women aren’t supposed to take any vitamins, because they’re a kind of drug.[/quote]No folic acid then ?
In Chinese 9 is a lucky number, in Japanese it’s an unlucky number, which one is right ?
The amount of people who let these things rule their lives is scary… burning paper outside your shop so stopping people going in is lucky ?
Sorry to shatter your belief, but I don’t subscribe to any of the above.
I encountered SJs whistling superstition a while back in the classroom. Yes, they really believe that one.
I like the Japanese fear of ghosts being carried over to modern life:
Ghosts apparently can’t say the syllables ‘mo’ or ‘shi’ in Japan. So when you see a dark figure lumbering towards you on an unlit street you quickly ascertain their status, and clarify your own, by calling them out. These days there are few unlit streets but we’re constantly talking to disembodied voices thanks to electronics. Hence the standard Japanese greeting on the phone- “Moshi moshi!”
Fluffy, I managed to get that gem included in a guide entry a few years ago - might have been the one on Halloween.
Two odd local Taiwanese/Chinese superstitions I’ve heard:
if a pregnant woman uses a pair of scissors, the baby will be born with a ‘hare lip’ (cleft lip)
if you drop your chopsticks (accidentally, of course!) someone has to treat you for that meal (try that next time you dine out with Taiwanese friends… practice at home before you go). Actually, I found only some Taiwanese know this, not all.
I don’t think this is Taiwanese but my Filipino friends have told me so many times that I shouldn’t buy myself pearls because they’ll only bring me heartache/tears. Trying to think of a way to drop some hints to the husband.
Some mysterious (but entirely anecdotal) life-force called “Qi” courses through our body, affecting our health in major ways.
Another magical force called “fengshui” determines that if you have 99 red fish of a certain species, in a tank in a certain location in home or office, your business acumen will improve to the point that the dollars just come pouring in.
Whistling seems to be involved in many superstitions…
In the theatre, you are not supposed to whistle on a stage…but this, like some other superstitions, is based in logic…whistling was formerly used as a signal to loose the counterweight sandbags…therefore, whistling on a stage could end up with you getting plunked in the bean with 50Kg from 30 meters up…
Another age old tradition/superstition is to never quote MacBeth in or around a theatre…in fact, just saying the title character’s name is taboo…One refers to the play, if one absolutely must, as “The Scottish Play”…this is ground into every young aspiring thespian as gospel…even my most respected professor was adamant on this…claiming that she knew of someone who actually died in a freak accident after quoting MacBeth. This superstition has even been referred to in Canadian rock’n’roll…
[quote=“Gordon Downy of The Tragically Hip”]Walkin’n the planks, shouting out McBeth
Just to see how much bad luck you can really get[/quote]
For further evidence, watch the wonderful Albert Finney film, The Dresser. Mr. Finney’s character quote’s the play in his dressing room and his Dresser forces him to unbreak the jinx by, and here’s where it gets whack, exiting the room, spinning around 3x, spitting, knocking on the door and asking to be let back in and once in, to swear. I believe Mr. Finney chose the expletive
[quote=“Maoman”]Some mysterious (but entirely anecdotal) life-force called “Qi” courses through our body, affecting our health in major ways.
Another magical force called “fengshui” determines that if you have 99 red fish of a certain species, in a tank in a certain location in home or office, your business acumen will improve to the point that the dollars just come pouring in.[/quote]
Tell us how you really feel about feng shui, Maoman! Are you prepared to spend millions of NT to set your new buxiban up ala feng shui master’s suggestion?
I think there’s something to this Qi and feng shui. Since my office work space at home has been facing north, according to analyses using the Eight House and Flying Star theories, I’ve been earning more than three times as much money.
Of course that would have nothing to do with my skill, endeavours or guanxi!
I didn’t know that whistling summons ghosts or loosens sandbags, but my wife has laughed when I’ve whistled because it’s associated with taking a leak. Mothers apparently whistle when waiting for their small children to piss.
Before we married, my gf told me that, as an unmarried female, she’s not allowed to eat pig toes. Then we married, and when we recently ate pigs feet she told me she can now eat the toes.
Can’t move furniture when a pregnant woman’s in the house. A new mattress was delivered to my house recently and my pregnant wife was home with her mother. Her mother quickly grabbed her hand and took her outside while they made the delivery.
These are great…thanks everyone…you gave me my lesson plan for my conversation class today. I will take notes from my students and post any new superstitions that arise from the discussion.
Taiwan: A woman can’t wash her hair or go outside for a month after she gives birth.
USA: (Western) Don’t put your hat on the bed.
If you let someone sweep under your feet, you will never get married.
The creator of the Universe had a son that he sent to Earth to die for the sins of humanity.
