Finding good luck in life is at the heart of many Chinese superstitions. Covering everything from noodle length to mustaches, superstitions have endured for centuries in Chinese culture and lore. There are many superstitions for good luck and some to avoid bad luck, while others can improve positive feng shui chi energy.
List of Superstitions for Good Luck
Chinese good luck superstitions can be specific to different types of luck, including money and love. Most every aspect of life has a lucky or unlucky superstition associated with it even some types of luck you may not have considered. Feng shui superstitious beliefs are based on traditional Chinese superstitions, and can bring luck and positive chi energy into your home.
- The Chinese believe that good luck can be found in pairs. In feng shui, love can be enhanced by art in the bedroom depicting two mandarin ducks.
- Never point at the moon or you'll pay the price by having your ear fall off.
- You don't want to build a home that faces north. This will bring financial ruin and other chaos in your life.
- Staircases should have an even number of steps with no open risers since they symbolize loss of energy and also money.
- A mustache is considered bad luck for men.
- If you want to ensure a happy marriage, you shouldn't marry anyone who is 3 or 6 years younger or older than you.
- Chinese superstitions say that used or second-hand clothes, furniture, and other items are inauspicious. This superstition is believed to be founded in the value of honor, reputations, and pride.
- Never beat a person with a broom. This will bring bad luck to the person for many years.
- When traveling, always knock on the door before entering. This alerts any spirits of your presence so they won't be startled by your presence and encourages them to leave.
- Telling ghost stories is considered very bad luck.
- When you sweep your home, sweep inwardly. Sweep all dirt and dust into the center of your home and then carry it out of the house through the back door, never the front door. This keeps good luck in your home.
Lucky Gift Giving
Chinese good luck superstitions about gift-giving can bring good fortune when done correctly. Gifts can bestow luck upon the recipients for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and New Year. When choosing gifts, the Chinese rituals for good luck include giving in pairs or multiples. If you wish to give a gift, then two gifts are considered good luck and more gifts are even better luck.
- A lucky bamboo arrangement is often given for housewarming gifts, birthdays, anniversaries and other events.
- Always insert money when giving a purse or wallet. If left empty, you're bestowing a lack of money luck on the recipient..
- Never give empty decorative boxes, always put something of value inside.
- Gift wrap is very important. Use only brightly colored papers, and wrap with either a gold or red ribbon.
- Traditionally, a gift is wrapped in silk fabric to signify your best wishes for prosperity and wealth to the recipient.
- Don't give pointy or sharp items as gifts, such as a knife set or cacti. These are symbols for severing a relationship.
- Never gift with miniature objects or plants, such as bonsai. This type of gift bestows stunted growth in all areas of life to the recipient.
- Don't give a clock, hourglass, or other timepiece since this is a symbol of stealing time from the person and shortening their life.
Flowers for Good Luck
Even flowers have specific good luck superstitions tied to them and their use in everyday life. You can also improve your feng shui at home by selecting flowers to increase positive chi, or correct stagnant energy in a room.
- Lotus: This is the most auspicious flower, with powerful symbolism. The lotus flower appears out of the mud and blooms in great beauty. It represents longevity and enlightenment.
- Peach blossom: The peach tree is a symbol of immortality, producing the gods' divine fruit. Peach blossoms are considered lucky for love.
- Lilies: Lilies are often used for weddings. The belief is that the flower represents a happy union for a hundred years.
- Narcissus: In feng shui, a white narcissus placed in the north sector of your home will boost career luck.
- Hydrangea: This good luck symbol restores balance in home life.
- Orchids: For a couple, orchids mean happiness and great luck in fortunes.
- Chrysanthemum: This flower is used for religious offerings on altars. When looking for a gift for an older person, chrysanthemums are an ideal choice, since they symbolize longevity.
- Peonies: The peony is a powerful symbol of love and marriage.
Lucky Colors
Color is an essential tool in improving feng shui, and inviting good luck. Using the superstitions and symbolism of color can enhance your feng shui home.
- Red: This is an auspicious color and considered a symbol of good luck. Weddings feature red lanterns, wedding invitation envelopes, money envelopes, wedding decorations and even the bride's dress.
- Gold: This color represents wealth and is often used with red. It's found in all monetary and wealth symbols.
- Black: This color represents water and is used for career luck. It's often used in a combination with red to create a powerful duo.
- White: A mourning color, white is associated with funerals and a mourning period.
Lucky Numbers
Numbers play an important role in feng shui as numbers are a significant part of everyday life. Chinese superstitions surround the use of numbers, especially in the home. Feng shui incorporates many of those beliefs.
- Number 4: Four sounds like the Chinese word for death and should be avoided.
- Number 8: Eight is lucky because it sounds like the word prosper.
- Number 9: Nine sounds similar to the word sufficient.
- Dates: Each Chinese zodiac sign has two most auspicious lunar months. These are used to select important dates such as weddings.
- Address: The number 8 is associated with wealth, while number 9 is associated with a long life. These are considered very auspicious numbers for a home address, while 4 is inauspicious and homeowners avoid addresses with a 4.
- Lucky numbers: The Kua number is your personal map to your four auspicious directions. You can take advantage of these directions in your feng shui home and avoid your four inauspicious ones.
Food and Drink Superstitions
Foods and drinks can also be considered auspicious or unlucky, and some are believed to have powerful symbolism for important days and events.
- Noodles: Long noodles are auspicious for a long life, and you should never cut noodles or risk shortening your life.
- Oranges: The round golden shape of an orange is considered a symbol of gold and represents blessings and prosperity.
- Chicken and fish: A chicken and fish should be cooked whole and served whole. Both are a symbol of family unity.
- Spring rolls: The golden fried spring rolls are symbols of gold ingots, and bring money luck.
- Tea: Serving a visitor tea is the social sign that the visit is coming to an end.
Chinese New Year's Day Superstitions
One of the most auspicious times for the Chinese is New Year's Day. The Chinese believe that the things you do on this day will determine your luck for the following year.
New Year Good Luck Tips
The Chinese New Year is a deeply felt holiday, filled with custom and superstition. The new year brings new opportunities for good luck and good fortune.
- Don't argue or cry on New Year's Day unless you wish to cry and argue throughout the upcoming year.
- Don't use sharp objects, like knives, on this important day since pointed objects are considered inauspicious. Knives on New Year's Day will slice and destroy your good luck.
- Keep your feet firmly planted on the ground and avoid rough patches by not buying any shoes on New Year's Day. The word shoes sounds like the word rough, so if you need new shoes, purchase a pair before the holiday.
- You need to start the New Year off debt-free, otherwise, you'll be plagued with bills and more bills throughout the entire year.
- Serve noodles for the New Year's meal. The longer the noodle, the longer and happier the luck will be.
- The color red is considered to most auspicious color and brings the biggest and best luck. You'll want to wear red on New Year's Day.
- To ensure you have a sweeter New Year, be sure to eat deserts, candy and other sweets.
- Don't get your hair cut during the week of the New Year. If you cut your hair, you're cutting off good luck. Don't wash your hair on the first day of the New Year unless you want to wash away all of your good luck.
Wedding Superstitions
Chinese wedding superstitions are still widely shared and repeated, and have found their way into many other cultures.
- A rainy wedding is auspicious and means a fertile and prosperous life together.
- Don't try on your wedding dress before the wedding or you won't get married. There's no answer for how a bride gets fitted for her wedding dress.
- If the groom stands or sits in front of his wife during the ceremony, he's doomed to live a married life constantly being henpecked.
- It's bad luck if the groom arrives at the ceremony after the bride.
- Never give the bride and groom knives or other pointed and sharp objects as a gift. Sharp objects are considered inauspicious.
- Rice tossed at the couple ensures prosperity.
- The bride should never wear pearls on her wedding day or suffer a sad and tearful marriage.
- Wedding clothes are red, white or yellow to ensure a lucky wedding and marriage.
Babies and Birthday Superstitions
The mysteries of birth have been the source of Chinese superstitions since ancient times. It's understandable that loved ones would want to bring the best luck to a new baby, and avoid anything that may bring bad luck.
- A baby shower before the baby is born is bad luck. A shower after the baby's birth is considered good luck.
- It's believed you can ensure the gender of your baby by eating certain foods.
- Be careful what you think and do because this will affect who your child becomes.
- Refrain from rubbing your belly too often, or you will have a spoiled child.
- There can be no construction or work done in the home of a pregnant woman without risking the health of her unborn child.
- Your baby's destiny is determined by the very first object she or he picks up.
Is Feng Shui Superstition?
Many of these Chinese superstitions are observed in feng shui. Attracting positive chi energy through the use of superstitions can be enhanced by good feng shui. While it may seem at times that Chinese superstitions and feng shui superstitions overlap, but feng shui is driven by the desire to create a balance of chi energy to welcome good fortune. Symbolism and superstition have practical uses in your every day life to improve your luck and bring harmony to your surroundings.
