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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. So the Chinese, particularly the Cantonese, believe that we shouldn’t buy shoes during the entire 15 days of the Chinese New Year. From what I understand, that’s because shoes sound like the word *sigh* in Cantonese but others point out that it’s because the word ‘shoes’ in Cantonese is a homonym for ‘rough’ but I totally don’t On the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, there is a Chinese New Year taboo on sweeping the house and dumping the trash. Otherwise, all the savings and valuables will be swept away. If it is really necessary, the house owner should start the sweeping from outside to inside of the house, which intimates collecting money. Remedy: Buying shoes before the Chinese New Year and wearing new shoes out on New Year’s Day. Extra Fact: Wearing new shoes and taking a walk outside is considered a practice called 踩小人(caai2 siu2 jan2). This is a practice that wards off and protects you from those that will try to harm you in the upcoming year. Shoes – evil. The Chinese character for ‘shoes’ (鞋 xié) has a homophone, ‘evil’ (邪 xié). People link these two words together, so shoes get an ominous meaning. Giving somebody a pair of shoes equals sending evil to others. Be careful, your friends might be out of contact on account of getting a pair of shoes from you. 8 8. Purchase new shoes. Although it is good to go Chinese New Year shopping for new clothes to look presentable, do not buy shoes during Chinese New Year. This is because the word for shoes in the Chaozhou and Teochew language is hoi, which sounds like hai or a sigh in English. This gives a connotation of a bad feeling towards the year or an Shopping for new clothes and shoes is one of the highlights of celebrating CNY apart from the yummy goodies and angbaos – but avoid getting new shoes during the first few days of CNY. The Teochew word for shoes, “ hoi ”, sounds similar to sighing – a sign of suffering. So just remember that your new pair of sneakers could just end up It is believed those who buy new footwear during the 16 days of the Lunar New Year are in for a rough time for the rest of the year. Also, avoid gifting shoes as it is said to bring both the giver Here are some of the key taboos to avoid during Chinese New Year, as outlined by China Highlights. 1. Sweeping the Floor. Sweeping the floor during the Chinese New Year is considered to drive away good fortune. It is also associated with sweeping away wealth. But during the actual celebration, cleaning is taboo. Cleaning or throwing out garbage may sweep away good luck instead. If you must, make sure to start at the outer edge of a room and sweep inwards. Bag up any garbage and throw it away after the fifth day. Similarly, you shouldn’t take a shower on Chinese New Year’s Day. 4. 9. Avoid Arguing or Quarrelling. Maintain harmony and positivity by avoiding arguments or quarrels during Chinese New Year gatherings. Instead, focus on fostering goodwill and strengthening relationships with family and friends. Never wear clothes in black during the Chinese New year because it is typically worn during funerals. The color has been associated with death. It is considered to be unlucky. Do Not Buy New Shoes. In some southern regions, buying (and wearing) new shoes may be seen as bad luck, or a Chinese New Year Taboo. Damaged Clothes Is A Big No-No All meat products from chickens, ducks, pigs, and fishes should be well prepared before Chinese New Year or on Chinese New Year's Eve. 15. Chinese Gift-giving Taboos . Be careful about bringing gifts when paying visits as some of the gifts represents good luck whereas some of them bring bad luck in Chinese customs. However, with the changing times and the influence of new cultures, some young people might choose to wear white clothing during the New Year to show their style. They often add some red decorations, such as red scarves or brooches, to keep a festive tone. Wearing black clothing during the New Year may create a solemn mood for the festival. In Cantonese, 'shoes' (hai) has the same pronunciation as the word 'rough' (hai), and said softly, it also sounds like sighing. So, the taboo stands that you do not want to start the new year off with sighing, nor do you want a rough beginning, so wait until the end of the holidays to get yourself a new pair of sneakers. Taboos for Chinese New Year: A discussion in r/SimplifiedMandarin outlines six taboos for Chinese New Year, including avoiding breaking bowls or plates, passing on porridge, and refraining from washing hair. Buy New Clothes For Chinese New Year (But Not Books Or Shoes!) Shopaholics will be glad to hear that a shopping spree is encouraged. In fact, it’s customary to buy yourself a whole new outfit to wear on New Year’s Day (don’t mind if we do!) to set yourself up for a fresh start and attract more wealth in the year ahead. The Chinese New Year is a significant and very important celebration in Chinese culture. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor by the Chinese community all over the world. One of the most important traditions during this occasion is to wear the right colors, as each color symbolizes different things. Celebrating Chinese New Year with Chinese friends can be great, but, when the cultural gap is large, it can be really easy to give the wrong gift for Chinese New Year. Here, we've summarized 15 things you should not give as a Chinese New Year gift and their negative meanings in Chinese culture. Make sure that you don't give the wrong gift.
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