Chinese New Year Superstitions

Oranges and tangerines symbolize good luck and prosperity, which is why they are seen everywhere during the Lunar New Year. Visiting friends and relatives without bringing the fruit as a gift is seen as disrespectful.




Giving gifts of money in decorated red envelopes is a way to “spread the good luck” to whoever receives it. It is the thought that counts, and not necessarily the amount (although more is always nice, of course).




According to ancient Chinese mythology, there was a man-eating, half-dragon-half lion monster named Nian, who would descend from the mountains and terrorize humans every year. However, the humans realized that Nian hated loud noises, so they decided to use firecrackers on the first day of the New Year to scare the beast away. Naturally, this practice evolved into a quintessential Lunar New Year celebration.




Yes, Nian also hates the colour red so people wear red during the Chinese New Year to scare him away. Eventually, it became an auspicious colour.




Black is associated with death and bad luck, so the Chinese avoid wearing anything black on the first day of the New Year.




Pineapples mean 'prosperity‘ in Mandarin, which explains the Chinese obsession with the fruit every Lunar New Year, from pineapple-shapped lanterns to festive sweet treats.




Again, it’s not about how nutritious they are, but their names in Mandarin. Fish reads “yu” while abalone (a type of mollusc) reads “bao yu”, with the key word “yu” phonetically sounding like abundance. It is very important for the Chinese to live in abundance and not be deprived of anything in the coming year.




Almost every Chinese household will embark on spring cleaning before the New Year to get rid of any undesirable “dirty things” in the household. These “dirty things” ranges from dust to evil spirits.




It is believed that sweeping the floor during Chinese New Year drives away good fortune and good luck. With any usage of the broom strictly prohibited during the festive season, vacumm cleaners are the cleaning equipment of choice.




It is believed that children must stay up late on the eve of the New Year to “guard the years” for their parents. The later they sleep, the older their parents can live.


From: http://lifestyle.ph.msn.com/