Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a time of immense joy, family reunions, and hopeful anticipation for the year ahead. However, intertwined with the celebrations are a host of traditions and superstitions. To ensure a prosperous and auspicious year, it’s crucial to understand and avoid certain actions that are believed to attract bad luck or misfortune. This article will delve into the things one should absolutely avoid doing during the Chinese New Year celebrations.
The Foundation of Superstitions: Seeking Good Fortune
The plethora of “don’ts” surrounding Chinese New Year stems from a deep-seated desire to welcome good fortune, health, and prosperity into one’s life. Many of these traditions are rooted in ancient beliefs and wordplay, where certain actions are considered homophones (words that sound the same but have different meanings) for negative concepts. Therefore, avoiding these actions is seen as a way to prevent the corresponding misfortune from manifesting.
Avoiding Misfortune in Daily Life
Many everyday actions take on a different significance during Chinese New Year. Behaviors that might be acceptable at other times of the year are viewed as potential harbingers of bad luck during this festive period.
Cleaning and Tidying: A Precarious Undertaking
One of the most well-known prohibitions is sweeping or cleaning the house during the first few days of the New Year. Tradition dictates that doing so will sweep away any good luck that has entered your home. Dusting, mopping, and even taking out the trash are best avoided until after the initial days of the festivities. It’s believed that the good fortune and prosperity that the New Year brings will settle into your home, and any cleaning efforts would simply dispel it.
However, it’s important to note that cleaning before the New Year is highly encouraged. This pre-New Year cleaning symbolizes sweeping away the old and making way for the new – a clean slate, ready to be filled with good fortune.
Sharp Objects and Unfortunate Cuts
Using sharp objects like knives or scissors is also frowned upon during the New Year period. Cutting is associated with severing ties and cutting off one’s good fortune. Accidentally cutting yourself could be interpreted as cutting away prosperity and wealth. While unavoidable in some situations, extra caution is advised.
Hair Washing and Haircuts: Washing Away Prosperity?
Washing your hair on the first day of the New Year is considered taboo. The Chinese word for hair (髮/发, fà) sounds similar to the word for “to become wealthy” (發/发, fā). Washing your hair, therefore, is seen as washing away your wealth for the coming year. A similar logic applies to getting a haircut during the first month of the New Year. It is thought to cut away your prosperity for the year.
Wearing White or Black: Colors of Mourning
Avoid wearing white or black clothing, as these colors are traditionally associated with mourning and funerals in Chinese culture. Bright and vibrant colors, especially red, are preferred as they symbolize good luck, happiness, and prosperity. Dressing in cheerful colors helps set a positive tone for the New Year.
Borrowing and Lending: The Flow of Financial Fortune
Borrowing or lending money during the New Year is considered unlucky for both parties involved. Lending money is thought to deplete your own wealth, while borrowing money is seen as a sign of financial instability that could persist throughout the year. It’s best to settle any outstanding debts before the New Year to start fresh and with a clean financial slate.
Breaking Things: A Sign of Impending Doom
Accidentally breaking dishes, glasses, or other objects is considered a bad omen. It’s believed to symbolize broken relationships, broken fortune, and a fragmented future. If an accident does occur, it’s customary to immediately say “Sui Sui Ping An” (歲歲平安), which translates to “May you have peace year after year,” to counteract the negative impact.
Using Bad Language and Arguing: Disturbing the Peace
The New Year is a time for harmony and positive energy. Using foul language, arguing, or engaging in disputes is strongly discouraged. These negative actions are believed to disrupt the peace and attract negativity into your life and the lives of those around you. It’s important to maintain a positive and respectful demeanor throughout the celebrations.
Taboos Related to Food and Dining
Food plays a central role in Chinese New Year celebrations, and certain foods and dining customs are associated with specific superstitions.
Eating Porridge for Breakfast: A Symbol of Poverty
While porridge is a common breakfast item in many cultures, eating it on the first day of the New Year is considered unlucky. In the past, porridge was often associated with poverty, as it was a staple food for those who could not afford more substantial meals. Consuming porridge on the first day is seen as a sign of starting the year in poverty.
Taking Medicine: A Sign of Ill Health
Taking medicine on the first day of the New Year is thought to indicate that you will be ill for the entire year. If you require medication, it’s best to take it before or after the first day, if possible. This superstition reflects the desire for good health and well-being throughout the coming year.
Empty Rice Containers: Lack and Scarcity
Ensuring that your rice containers are full is crucial before the New Year arrives. An empty rice container symbolizes lack and scarcity, suggesting a year of hardship and financial difficulties. Filling your rice container ensures abundance and prosperity for the year ahead.
Giving Certain Gifts: Inauspicious Offerings
Certain gifts are considered unlucky and should be avoided during Chinese New Year. For example, giving clocks (送鐘/送钟, sòng zhōng) sounds similar to attending a funeral (送終/送终, sòng zhōng), making it an extremely inappropriate gift. Other inauspicious gifts include shoes (鞋/鞋, xié), which sounds like bad luck (邪/邪, xié), and pears (梨/梨, lí), which sounds like separation (離/离, lí).
Social Interactions and Relationships: Navigating with Care
Chinese New Year is a time for strengthening family bonds and fostering positive relationships. Certain social interactions, however, are best avoided to maintain harmony and avoid inadvertently causing offense or bad luck.
Visiting the Wife’s Family Before Your Own: Respecting Tradition
Married couples often visit both sides of their families during the New Year. However, tradition dictates that the husband should visit his own family first before visiting his wife’s family. Visiting the wife’s family first is considered disrespectful to the husband’s ancestors and could bring bad luck to the family.
Giving Red Envelopes to Unmarried Individuals Who are Too Old: Societal Expectations
Red envelopes (红包/紅包, hóngbāo) are traditionally given to children and unmarried adults as a symbol of good luck and prosperity. However, there is an unspoken age limit. Giving red envelopes to unmarried individuals who are considered “too old” to still be unmarried can be seen as a subtle reminder of societal expectations and could cause embarrassment or discomfort. It is generally acceptable to give red envelopes to unmarried individuals until they reach their late twenties or early thirties, but discretion is advised.
Premature New Year Greetings: Impatience and Disrespect
While it’s tempting to wish people a Happy New Year early, doing so before the actual start of the festivities is considered impolite and even a bit presumptuous. Wait until the official start of the New Year to offer your greetings, demonstrating respect for tradition and timing.
Regional Variations and Personal Beliefs
It’s important to acknowledge that many of these superstitions are rooted in regional customs and traditions, and individual beliefs may vary. What might be considered a serious taboo in one region could be less significant in another. Some families may adhere strictly to all the traditions, while others may be more relaxed. Ultimately, it’s up to each individual and family to decide which traditions they choose to observe.
While these “don’ts” may seem restrictive, they are ultimately intended to create a positive and auspicious atmosphere for the New Year. By understanding and respecting these traditions, you can contribute to a harmonious and prosperous celebration for yourself and those around you. Remember to be mindful, respectful, and embrace the spirit of renewal and hope that Chinese New Year embodies.
What is considered “bad luck” to do on Chinese New Year, and why is avoiding it important?
Avoiding bad luck during Chinese New Year is considered crucial for setting a positive tone for the entire year ahead. It’s believed that actions performed during this period can directly influence the fortune and well-being one experiences throughout the coming months. Therefore, many traditions and superstitions revolve around abstaining from activities perceived to invite misfortune, aiming to attract good luck and prosperity instead.
Observing these customs is a way to respect tradition and participate in a collective effort to welcome good fortune. It signifies a desire for a prosperous and healthy year, showing deference to cultural beliefs passed down through generations. By adhering to these practices, individuals hope to create an auspicious atmosphere that encourages good luck and minimizes potential setbacks.
Why should I avoid using sharp objects like knives or scissors during Chinese New Year?
Using sharp objects such as knives, scissors, or needles during the Chinese New Year holiday is believed to cut away good fortune and wealth. The act of cutting symbolizes severing the connection with prosperity and luck that is wished for during this auspicious time. It’s thought that these sharp instruments could inadvertently “cut” away good luck that is trying to enter your life in the new year.
Therefore, many families make an effort to prepare all meals in advance of the celebrations to minimize the need for using knives. Sewing is also avoided, as it’s feared that the act of sewing could symbolically stitch bad luck into the year ahead. By refraining from using sharp objects, people aim to ensure an uninterrupted flow of positive energy and good fortune.
Why is sweeping or cleaning considered bad luck during the first few days of Chinese New Year?
Sweeping or cleaning, particularly on the first day of Chinese New Year, is considered taboo as it’s believed you risk sweeping away good luck and wealth that has just entered your home. The act of cleaning is seen as removing the prosperity and blessings that are intended to settle in the household for the coming year. It’s thought that the good fortune is physically present and can be unintentionally swept away with the dirt and dust.
To prepare for the New Year, thorough cleaning is typically done before the celebrations begin. However, during the first few days, emphasis is placed on preserving the good fortune. Any necessary cleaning is postponed until after the initial period, ensuring that the welcomed blessings are not inadvertently discarded. This practice underscores the importance of preserving and cherishing the newly arrived good luck.
What is the significance of avoiding arguments or negative conversations during Chinese New Year?
Arguments and negative conversations during Chinese New Year are strongly discouraged because they are thought to set a negative tone for the entire year. Starting the year with conflict or discord is believed to attract similar experiences throughout the following months. It’s perceived as creating an atmosphere of negativity that could lead to misunderstandings, disagreements, and bad luck.
Instead, efforts are made to foster harmony, understanding, and positive communication. Families strive to resolve any existing conflicts before the New Year begins, creating a clean slate for harmonious interactions. The emphasis is on speaking kindly, offering words of blessing, and creating a joyful atmosphere that encourages positive energy and good relationships in the coming year.
Why is it considered unlucky to give certain gifts during Chinese New Year?
Giving certain gifts during Chinese New Year is considered unlucky due to their symbolic association with negative connotations in Chinese culture. The sound of some words related to the gifts may have similar pronunciations to words associated with death, separation, or misfortune, making them undesirable during this auspicious time. These gifts are seen as carrying inauspicious meanings that could bring bad luck to the recipient.
For instance, giving a clock is considered taboo because the phrase “giving a clock” (送鐘, sòng zhōng) sounds similar to “attending a funeral ritual” (送終, sòng zhōng). Similarly, giving sharp objects like knives or scissors is avoided as it symbolizes cutting ties. Understanding these symbolic associations is crucial to avoiding unintentional offense and ensuring that gifts are well-received and bring good fortune to the recipient.
Why is borrowing or lending money discouraged during Chinese New Year?
Borrowing or lending money during Chinese New Year is generally discouraged as it is believed to set the financial tone for the entire year. Lending money during this time might suggest that you will be constantly giving money away, while borrowing money could imply a year of financial struggle. It’s considered best to start the year with a clean slate and avoid any financial obligations that could potentially impact future prosperity.
This superstition is rooted in the desire for a financially prosperous and stable year. Avoiding borrowing or lending money signifies a commitment to financial independence and self-reliance. It’s believed that maintaining a balanced financial state during the New Year period will contribute to overall financial well-being throughout the coming months, ensuring a greater chance of wealth and stability.
Why should I avoid wearing white or black clothing during Chinese New Year celebrations?
Wearing white or black clothing during Chinese New Year is traditionally avoided because these colors are associated with mourning and funerals in Chinese culture. White symbolizes death and bereavement, while black represents bad luck and misfortune. Wearing these colors during this festive and celebratory period is seen as disrespectful and could bring about inauspicious events.
Instead, vibrant and auspicious colors like red and gold are preferred. Red symbolizes good luck, prosperity, and happiness, while gold represents wealth and fortune. Wearing these colors during the New Year festivities is believed to attract positive energy and good fortune, contributing to a joyful and auspicious celebration. The avoidance of white and black clothing is a way to honor tradition and promote a positive and prosperous start to the year.