Explaining the Chinese Superstitions
 

What is the Legend of CNY?

The Chinese New Year is similar to the Western New Year, both immersed in customs and rituals.  The modern word Nian, which literally means “year? was originally the name of an evil monster in ancient Chinese myths.  The legend goes that thousands of years ago, on New Year's Eve, a village in China was destroyed by the evil monster Nian.  The monster returned the following year and once again destroyed the village.  Before returning the third year, a wise old man advised the villagers to display red banners in order to scare the monster away; the colour red was believed the protect against evil.  Firecrackers and gongs were used to create a loud racket for further prevention of the monster's dreaded arrival.  The devised plan proved successful and a large celebration took place.

Today, celebrations also take place at the time of the Chinese New Year.  Preparations for these celebrations begin weeks in advance.  Days before the New Year, every family is engaged in a thorough house cleaning, believed to rid of the ill-fortune there may have been in the family and to allow good luck to enter into the home.  The celebrations include a lavish feast of delicacies each symbolic of good luck.  Fish is eaten to guarantee a long, healthy life. Red dates and seaweed signify prosperity.  Dried oysters for all things good, and dumplings ensure a long-lost good wish for a family.  A traditional Chinese New Year desert, Nian Gao, is always served.  Superstition has it that the higher the cake rises, the better the year will be.  Another tradition involves married couples giving children and unmarried adults red envelopes with money placed inside, symbolic of good luck.

De-Ka-Bunker: Nian, a beast or a monster, like today's bull that has a particular dislike of red color.  It may also has a sensitive hearing device.  Its ears can pick up the slightest sound from far away.  Therefore exploding firecrackers in short distance can crack its ear drums.  Is Nian a kind of pre-historical monster?  or an Alien?

Why people play Fire Cracker during Chinese New Year?

In China as well as in Chinese communities in other countries, the Chinese New Year is always associated with fire crackers.  Legend has it that by setting off fire crackers, "evil energy" will be driven away, and peace and good fortune can be attained.  Below is a version of a story about how the fire cracker started being used as a New Year's tradition:

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago in ancient China, there lived a monster who lived in the mountains of a bamboo forest.  This monster had the shape of a human, but only had one leg.  Even though it only had one leg, it was stronger, faster, and more agile than any of the villagers.  It stayed in the deep forest during the year.  Towards the end of the year and the beginning of the new year, it would come out for food.  When it did, it destroyed the villages, injured the villagers, and took away the live stock and grain stored for the winter.  This left the villagers insufficient food for the winter and caused many hardships.  The villagers, on numerous occasions, attempted to capture the monster but were unsuccessful.  Just as everyone was beginning to give up hope, a strange event happened.

One year, shortly after the New Year, the monster did not attack. The villagers were happy and thought that the monster might have left the area. They began to prepare for a New Year celebration.  Because there was an abundance of bamboo sticks in the mountains, the villagers used them as the primary source of fuel for cooking and for keeping warm.

As everyone was putting more bamboo sticks in the fire for the celebration, the monster seemingly jumped out of the night from nowhere.  As everyone was scared and shocked by the sudden appearance of the monster, the bamboo sticks began to crackle.  The expansion of air in between the bamboo joints made a series of loud crackling sounds along with the blazing fire.  When the monster saw this strange occurrence, it was scared senseless and ran back to the forest.

From that time forward, during the New Year, the villagers always burned bamboo sticks to make the crackling sound to keep the monster away and to ask for a peaceful year.  Today, burning bamboo sticks has been replaced by fire crackers made in the shape of bamboo sticks.  However, the Chinese term baozhu, meaning exploding bamboo stick, is still used to refer to fire crackers.

Why must do house cleaning before Chinese New Year?

The entire house should be cleaned before New Year's Day.  On New Year's Eve, all brooms, brushes, dusters, dust pans and other cleaning equipment are put away. Sweeping or dusting should not be done on New Year's Day for fear that good fortune will be swept away.  After New Year's Day, the floors may be swept.  Beginning at the door, the dust and rubbish are swept to the middle of the parlor, then placed in the corners and not taken or thrown out until the fifth day.  At no time should the rubbish in the corners be trampled upon.  In sweeping, there is a superstition that if you sweep the dirt out over the threshold, you will sweep one of the family away.  Also, to sweep the dust and dirt out of your house by the front entrance is to sweep away the good fortune of the family; it must always be swept inwards and then carried out, then no harm will follow.  All dirt and rubbish must be taken out the back door.

De-Ka-Bunker: It is obvious that the cleaning job has to be done before the CNY days.  Taking the Eve as a kind of deadline, the Chinese would make sure their houses look sparkling clean over the CNY so they could enjoy celebrating the festival.  Furthermore, in the Chinese superstitious mind, sweeping is not a good thing to do as they somehow relate the sweeping action as eliminating a live being - especially those from their house.  For example, they will chase off somebody whom they don't like by using a broom.  For chasing away cats, pest, nuisance, they are accustomed to use broom too.


Bringing In the New Year and Expelling the Old?

Shooting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve is the Chinese way of sending out the old year and welcoming in the New Year.  On the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, every door in the house, and even windows, have to be open to allow the old year to go out.

De-Ka-Bunker: In general, Chinese believe that firecrackers can scare off bad spirits because of the busting power of loud noise and fire.  With this belief they want to make sure their houses are clear of the bad lucks (that they believed are due to bad spirits) by shooting off firecrackers.  Opening up all the windows and door is a way they believe how the bad spirits will easily escape from the house.

What are the taboos?

Everyone should refrain from using foul language and bad or unlucky words.  Negative terms and the word "four" (Si), which sounds like the word for death, are not to be uttered.  Death and dying are never mentioned and ghost stories are totally taboo.  References to the past year are also avoided as everything should be turned toward the New Year and a new beginning.   If you cry on New Year's day, you will cry all through the year.  Therefore, children are tolerated and are not spanked, even though they are mischievous.

De-Ka-Bunker: Typical Chinese superstition is to avoid the word 'Si' or number four during CNY.  They only want to fill fully their mind with nice and sweet words, and totally avoid anything that is related to bad lucks or death.  Psychologically they want to feel good and lucky throughout the whole festival.  When they feel that they are in good luck in the New Year, they believe such good omens will follow for the rest of the year.


We cannot wash our hairs on the First Day of New Year?

The old Chinese believe that washing hairs on the First Day will bring bad luck throughout the whole year.

De-Ka-Bunker: The source of this taboo is not exactly known.  However, one explanation is that on the first festival day, Chinese wanted to save water by not washing their hairs.  In the old days, especially, in the villages, water was a scarce resource.  They save the water for cleaning most of the household items instead.  Another explanation is without washing the hairs on the First day keeps the people from catching a cold and fall sick because they had no hair dryers in the old days.  A superstitious saying is that washing hairs on the First Day flushes away the 'lucks' from top to bottom.


Personal Appearance and Cleanliness

On New Year's Day, we are not suppose to wash our hair because it would mean we would have washed away good luck for the New Year.  Red clothing is preferred during this festive occasion.  Red is considered a bright, happy color, sure to bring the wearer a sunny and bright future.  It is believed that appearance and attitude during New Year's sets the tone for the rest of the year.  Children and unmarried friends, as well as close relatives are given Ang Bao, little red envelopes with crisp ten dollar notes inserted, for good fortune.

More New Year Superstitions

For those most superstitious, before leaving the house to call on others, the Almanac should be consulted to find the best time to leave the home and the direction which is most auspicious to head out.

The first person one meets and the first words heard are significant as to what the fortunes would be for the entire year.  It is a lucky sign to see or hear songbirds or red-colored birds or swallows.

It is considered unlucky to greet anyone in their bedroom so that is why everyone, even the sick, should get dressed and sit in the living room.

Do not use knives or scissors on New Year's Day as this may cut off fortune.

While many Chinese people today may not believe in these do's and don'ts, these traditions and customs are still practiced. These traditions and customs are kept because most families realize that it is these very traditions, whether believed or not, that provide continuity with the past and provide the family with an identity.


Lucky Words

Prior to New Year's Day, Chinese families decorate their living rooms with vases of pretty blossoms, platters of oranges and tangerines and a candy tray with eight varieties of dried sweet fruit. On walls and doors are poetic couplets, happy wishes written on red paper. These messages sound better than the typical fortune cookie messages. For instance, "May you enjoy continuous good health" and "May the Star of Happiness, the Star of Wealth and the Star of Longevity shine on you" are especially positive couplets.

Flowers is a Must

Every traditional Chinese household should also have live blooming plants to symbolize rebirth and new growth. Flowers are believed to be symbolic of wealth and high positions in one's career. Lucky is the home with a plant that blooms on New Year's Day, for that foretells a year of prosperity. In more elaborate settings, plum blossoms just starting to bloom are arranged with bamboo and pine sprigs, the grouping symbolizing friends &endash the plum blossom also signifies reliability and perseverance; the bamboo is known for its compatibility, its utility and its flexible stems for furniture and other articles;the evergreen pine evokes longevity and steadiness. Other highly prized flowers are the pussy willow,azalea, peony and water lily or narcissus.

De-Ka-Bunker: The Chinese firmly believe that without flowers, there would be no formation of any fruits. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to have flowers and floral decorations.  They are the emblems of reawakening of nature, they are also intimately connected with superstition and with the wish for happiness during the ensuing year.


Why Color Red is displayed everywhere?

(As described above..) Long ago, in Han Dynasty, some thousands years ago, there was a monster whose name was "Nian".  This monster came once each year to a little village and scared everyone! One day, just by luck, the villagers discovered that "Nian" had a couple fears of his own. He was afraid of the color red and even more afraid of scary loud noises! The villagers prepared. When "Nian" appeared, everyone in the village ran for the red banners and noise makers they had made. They waved their banners and rattled their noise makers, which scared "Nian" so much that "Nian" ran away and was never heard from again! Which explains why people in China believe the color red signifies joy and luck, and why noise makers are rattled on Chinese New Year. At midnight, firecrackers, paper dragons, noise makers, the waving of red ribbons and banners all help to drive away any lingering evil spirits from the old year. (In case "Nian" is still lurking about somewhere!).

Chinese New Year Eve, parents encourage children to stay awake as long as possible, because legend says that the longer children stay awake, the longer their parents will live.

Religious Ritual

Joss sticks and altar candles must be kept burning day and night to encourage longevity.  People were rushing to place the "first" joss stick in Chinese temples at the turn of New Year day.  They believe having the first place would bring their business or their wish to top success.  Throughout the whole festival people come offer joss sticks in temples and pray for fortune for the new year.

De-Ka-Bunker: When Chinese joss sticks are burnt they release significant amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) like Butanal and Propanal, and of aldehydes, like formaldehyde and acetaldehyde.  These have been linked to skin inflammation on contact (contact dermatitis), which is a marker for increased risk of childhood leukaemia, childhood brain tumour and cancer of the nasal passages and pharynx.

"Reference: (2083) Lee, RS & Lin, JM. Gaseous aliphatic aldehydes in smoke from burning raw materials of Chinese joss sticks. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination & Toxicity 1997;57,361-66"

Burning the joss compound wrapped round a bamboo stick releases even higher levels of these chemicals, demonstrating that bamboo is also a natural source of PAHs.  Burning joss sticks could discharge a particular kind of respirable suspended particles and formaldehyde which had been established as cancer-causing substances.  Prolonged exposure to joss stick smoke might adversely affect one's health.  An expert on environmental protection was interviewed.  With his help, the reporter collected data on the two harmful substances in various Chinese temples, and carried out tests on three types of joss sticks.  The data were compared with the standards set by the Environmental Protection Department.  The result indicated that the amount of harmful substances present exceeded the safety limits.  We therefore recommend that ventilation in places filled with joss stick smoke should be improved and that people should avoid staying in such places for a prolonged period of time.

"Reference: Singapore Bans Giant Joss Sticks, The Star, February 17, 1998"

Singapore - The burning of giant joss sticks at religious rituals will no longer be allowed under a new regulation aimed at curbing air pollution and reducing inconvenience to the public.  From March 1, joss sticks and candles will be subjected to specified sizes with only a limited number allowed for burning at any one time.  The new regulation also states neither joss sticks nor candles can be lighted up within 30 meters of any building.

See this article Incense burning 'may spark cancer' reported by CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/east/08/03/incense.cancer/

Cannot Go to Sleep Before Midnight?

It is customary for children to sleep as late as possible; this is called "shou shui".  This is done to make sure our parents live long and healthy lives, a show of filial respect if you would prefer to see it this way.  After midnight and the children have fallen asleep, the parents will sneak a Ang Bao under their pillow.  This is a pun on "ya shui qian", as "shui" - sleep - sounds the same as age, "sui".  This mean the children are 1 year older!  Nowadays, since I sleep even later than my parents, we are given the Ang Bao.  We have to receive it with two hands and thank them respectfully.


Dragon Dance

Mathwizard just came back from NUS central library, searching for information about fairies and their connection to modern UFO occupants.  He planed to write an article about those connections later....  But he also accidentally found something interesting about the dragon dance, which is normally performed in Chinese New Year.  Below are info taken from "Mythical Beasts", edited by John Cherry:

"Among the best-known images of the dragon are two which may appear to be related.  The first consists of the giant paper dragon chasing a red ball in Chinese New Year processions, on the fifteenth day of the first month. Although the orb has been interpreted as representing thunder hatched out by the dragon (ball lighting?), its association with a specific time in the year may have an astronomical basis.  In this scenario the dragon would represent the constellation Draco, which nears the point of the setting sun until at the New Year it rises exactly where the sun sets.  Thus, the dragon could be seen to be confronting or even devouring the sun.  A variation on this interpretation equates the ball with the moon which appears before the rising of the dragon star, thus heralding the arrival of the New Year.  The idea of the dragon chasing the ball and swallowing it may symbolize the disappearance of the moon behind or into the clouds and may be intended to bring on the rains of spring."