There are many Chinese New Year traditions about dos and don'ts. Find out the top 18 things you should not do. Some are taboos on the first day of the Chinese New Year and some are superstitions for the whole New Year Festival season (from the 1st to 15th of the Lunar New Year). 1. Avoid taking medicine. Chinese New Year is a joyful and harmonious festival, but there are some traditional superstitions and taboos as doing them may bring bad luck. The Spring Festival typically lasts for 15 days, some things are forbidden throughout the entire festive period. Superstitions on Chinese New Year 1. Keep the Lights Turning On. Chinese New Year superstitions are traditional beliefs and practices observed during the Lunar New Year to bring good luck and ward off misfortune. These customs range from avoiding certain actions to performing specific rituals, all aimed at ensuring a prosperous year ahead. 20 Chinese New Year Superstitions 1. Avoid Cleaning on New Year’s Day Style Very Superstitious: The Do’s and Don’ts of Chinese New Year Justin Wong on January 26, 2017 . Every culture has their own superstitions: Americans believe it’s bad luck if you cross paths with a black cat, Japanese avoid taking pictures in groups of three because it brings misfortune — even death — upon the individual in the middle, and Greeks throw salt over their left Sometimes, parents live together with sons, and therefore the bad luck would also goes to women's brothers. 9. Needle Work: In some Chinese New Year superstitions From shouting auspicious phrases during lo hei and giving out angbaos and even numbers, it’s no surprise that Chinese New Year comes with lots of practices to follow. If you want to be extra careful this year, here are Chinese superstitions and taboos to keep in mind this CNY so you don’t start the year with bad luck. The Chinese New Year taboos mentioned above are widely observed throughout the entire Lunar New Year celebration. Keep reading to learn about more Chinese New Year taboos day by day from the Chinese New Year's Eve. 10. Don't Eat All of the Fish. Fish is a must-have dish at the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner. It's a homophone for the word The Lunar New Year is a time for joy and celebration; nobody wants to hear negative words during this special period. There are words such as “death,” “sickness,” and “four” that people should not say during Chinese New Year celebrations. This is so as to avoid bad luck coming into the new year. 4. From ensuring good fortune to warding off bad luck, the number of Chinese New Year superstitions we follow is both surprising and intriguing! While modern logic may take precedence and not every custom is still widely practiced, these age-old beliefs remain a fascinating glimpse into our rich cultural heritage. As per Chinese superstitions, odd numbers are bad luck, so using them during the new year will bring bad luck. Even if you give money as a gift to someone in the new year, the amount should be in even numbers, as this is considered lucky. Avoid Eating Meat and Porridge Chinese New Year superstitions. One of the biggest festivals in China, Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, has numerous Chinese superstitions that come into play. Cleaning rituals. In the days leading up to Chinese New Year, homes are meticulously cleaned, an act believed to sweep away any lingering bad luck from the previous year. Chinese culture is full of superstitions, influencing everything from everyday routines to important life decisions. According to Feng Shui expert Joy Lim, more than just practices that bring luck and ward off misfortune, Chinese superstitions are also representations of ancient customs, established religious tradition, and cultural experiences. Consider my daughter, Heidi, born in the Year of the Dog. She faced what is termed “offending the Grand Duke” or “Fan Tai Sui” (犯太岁) in Mandarin during the last Dog year. This belief holds that sharing your birth year with the current zodiac sign can invite bad luck. So, what are some of the Chinese New Year Traditions and Superstitions? Many of the Chinese New Years Traditions & Superstitions are similar to what we posted for New Year’s superstitions and New Year’s lucky foods here in the U.S. Cleaning Superstition. One of the most important traditions during Chinese New Year is the cleaning of the house. Traditionally, multiple generations live together. The bride moves into the groom’s home after marriage. And, of course, she will celebrate Chinese New Year with her in-laws. Returning to her parents on New Year’s Day means that there are marriage problems and may also bring bad luck to the entire family. New Year is probably the most superstitious time in China. With some pretty rigorous rules about what you can and can’t do and the seemingly endless baijiu-fueled firework extravaganza raging in the street, Spring Festival is an extreme time to experience Chinese culture as an expat. The Chinese New Year, marking the beginning of the lunar calendar, is celebrated worldwide with traditions promoting good luck and avoid bad fortune. Key practices include thorough cleaning before Traditionally, people should stay up all night rather than go to sleep early on New Year's Eve; say lucky rather than dirty words. It is a taboo to overturn the oil bottle on New Year's Eve. Therefore, parents often try their best to keep their children from overturning the oil bottle, which will offend the Kitchen God and bring them bad luck. 7. Black Cat – Good or Bad Luck? Many superstitions surround black cats. For example, some people believe that the colour of their fur is a sign of bad luck and others think they are lucky. It is a common superstition or myth that black cats bring bad luck because, in the middle ages, they are close companions to evil witches. Is it bad luck to do laundry on New Year’s Day? Should you be eating black-eyed peas, grapes or herring for good luck? And what color should you wear on New Year's Eve? Discover the top New Year's superstitions and cultural traditions to bring luck and prosperity in the coming year.
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