Thursday, 03 February 2011
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Horoscopes, Traditions and Superstitions
Happy New Year!
Chinese people believe all sorts of stuff. Even in the modern world where many people are educated, traditions and old beliefs are hard to get away from, especially the ones for Chinese New Year. Growing up, I was told to not wash my hair on new year day because the word "hair" is a homonym with the word "fortune" and washing your hair would be washing fortune away.
If you can't wash hair, forget about cutting it. Supposedly, you're not suppose to cut it during the first 7 days of the year. Because of this, the busiest time to get a haircut is the week before. The salons are packed with people. I totally need a haircut, but will probably wait, not because I believe in losing fortune, but because my mom does and she'd totally ask me about it.
This year is the year of the Rabbit in the "metal" element, which means it's a bad year for the Rabbit. In fact, I read a very detailed horoscope a few days ago that pretty says this is a doomed year for all those born in the year of the rabbit. Upon further reading, both the Rooster (me) and the Ox (Mrs. jigg) will also be having a bad year. Luckily for us, neither believes in these things. Unfortunately, many do and it creates another element of paranoia.
One of my bestfriends is like that. He goes to a Chinese fortune teller for all his life decisions--when to get married, what kind of tattoo to get, job changes, etc. He is definitely the most superstitious person I know and he's only a few years older than me!
I think most Chinese people my age sort of play the "tradition" card and not really believe in the superstitions. The lucky numbers are "6" and "8," both because they are homonyms of words that symbolize wealth and prosperity. Many people would say that "4" means death, but it's just a homonym for it, which means the ultra-superstitious would hate to have the number "4" anywhere in their life, whether in house number, street number or phone number.
I love the number 4. Maybe because I am going against the tradition, or maybe because I actually believe in luck and it has not brought me any badluck. Either way, I try to follow certain traditions and "rules" simply to remain intact with my culture. In a world of globalization and assimilation, it's hard to preserve cultural ties. It sort of gets diluted along the way. My cousin's daughter is American 364 days of the year, but tells her mother she's Chinese on CNY.
Which reminds me--you're supposed to start the new year with a vegetarian meal. Good thing I ear oatmeal and fruits for breakfast!
How superstitious are you and how hard do you try to stick to the traditions of your home?** ** ** **
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Comments (23)
I believe you have the "wood" element of the Rabbit year wrong. I think it is the "mental " element this year for the Rabbit and they are suppose to bring good luck but have bad luck on themselves.
@Amy - You're right! I got it mixed up with Tiger or something.
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
i'm only superstitious because of what my parents tell me. Vietnamese traditions include: first person to, literally, walk in the home will determine the rest of the year for the family. no sweeping of the house. must have rice, salt and fish sauce in stock in the pantry. no crying. no fighting. no wearing white in the first day of the year.
happy new year, jiggggg :)
@CandyMuncher - Happy New Year CandyMuncher! Wishing you a wonderful and exciting year, Mandy. =)
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
one time i was booking a room at AC, and the room they gave us was 4444. i'm not superstitious but COME ON that's ridiculous. they probably saw that we were chinese and wanted to mess with us.
anyway happy new year ray
oh and we lost all our money after staying in that room
i went to a fortune teller in korea just for fun this winter. she told me that i'm going to cheat on the boyfriend i make this year because this year i'll be lucky in love. soooooo i'm going to say its complete bs. that being said, happy new year buddy! wishing you and karen a prosperous year of the bunny wabbit!
interesting stuff.
happy new year.
I remember when I first went to Korea in 1998, the hotels did NOT have a floor 4. It was hillarious when we looked at the buttons in the elevator. Uhm where the crap did floor 4 go?! Also the apartment complexes don't usually go more than 3 unless you're in the wealthy cities. I about died of laughter when I first saw that, and the old school toilets.
Well I'm glad I didn't wash my hair last night or get a hair cut either. I guess I did screw myself over by eating sausage for breakfast. Woops. But I am wearing a red shirt under my work uniform :P
Plus I'm mixed, Korean-Chinese :P
@korean_angel214 - lol @ the red shirt. I wish I could "like" your post.
Happy New Year!
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
I love the number 4 as well! I'm not very superstitious. I'm more religious, if anything.
Oh, and happy new year jigg! :)
The last time I shower was on Tuesday. So.. no can't do. Must shower!
So... does that count when I'm not Chinese because I totally washed my hair yesterday! haha Well, either way I don't believe in stuff like that very much. My parents did, however, told me one year on New Year's Day that I wasn't suppose to go out and spend money on that particular day because if I did spend money then it's saying that throughout that whole new year; I will not be able to save a dime! At first I was like, "really?" I tried it the following year (not spending any $$ on New Year's day) and yet, I was still not able to save a dime!l lol My luck for actually trying that out eh? LOL
I forgot about rice and salt in the pantry. It's a good thing that there is always rice and salt in the pantry. It's not that I believe in it all. It's just that it's been so ingrained that it just feels better to have done all the "right" things. The other thing I love about New Years is the Red Envelopes. When I was younger......receiving them and now that I am older.......handing them out.
Happy New Year Everyone!!!
Happy New Year! :)
My mom is definitely more superstitious than I. Perhaps it is because she grew up in that culture, whereas I was born an American and wasn't confronted with those views every single day. Of course, it doesn't really hurt to kind of follow these things, either. Hmm I sure do hope coffee and a banana counts as a meal, since that was what I had for breakfast yesterday hahaha.
I am very superstitious and defff believe in all that horoscope stuff :P
My mama gets each of us an annual horoscope sheet with our astro. on it and it basically tells you how your year is going to go.. from love to career to education to health. It also breaks down to how each month is.. pretty neat. From past experiences, the readings have been about 85% accurate although the dates may be off a little...It always say the same shit about 'love' for me.. "blahblah not your year to meet your prince charming yet even though you have many lusting for you" LMAO!! quite true but also.. whatta bullshit read. depressing and discouraging.
I am by far, the least superstitious person I know. I just don't think that numbers and stars have the power to influence or predict our fortune. But sticking to traditions...I try to as often as I can. It's hard to, since I don't have family around and nobody to practice with. And when I do, people tell me I'm too old fashioned and that I remind them of their mother....gaah /facepalm.
I follow those traditions because my mother does. She does everything you just described, plus the number 7. It is a homonym for "incense" and only the dead eat that...
I think people who are too superstitious make their own misfortune. It's not just about thinking negatively, but thinking helplessly. They think they're just not lucky or they had bad feng shui, but that's irrelevant. Do what you need to do to make things better, a rabbit foot is just a rabbit foot to me.
That given, I am not a very superstitious person and neither are my parents. They've warned me about certain superstitions, but they never stressed them too much. I think it was more for my grandparents since they are more superstitious, and tradition, if I were to flaunt how little I cared about these things it would be disrespectful.
I guess I'm not supertitious at all. I washed all my clothes , took out the trash, cleaned my room, washed my hair, and woke up late on the first day of New Year. Bah... We shall see how this year turns out before I become superstitious
what does #1 mean?
Great entry Jigg! I'm not much of a believer, but my girlfriend is. It's so bad that it gets on my nerves sometimes! Like your best friend, she is really really superstitious. She told me that her Uncle is a Fung Shui Master! Don't mean anything to me, but her family ask him for everything about their way of life! How to dress, what to do and what not to do for the year, how to live. It's insane! I don't know how to cope with it dude. It's fine with me if it's a little bit of superstition, but I think she's an extremist! What to do?