If you think the reason people in China wear red underwear is to find love like people in Mexico and other Latin American countries do, you are wrong. There’s nothing romantic about it. Instead, people who need to wear it, believe they are likely to face more challenges or troubles than usual in their zodiac year (本命年 běnmìng nián), and that they need to wear red to ward off bad luck every single day of the New Year. Sounds confusing? Here are some stories and explanations behind it.

What and when is Zodiac Year of Birth (本命年 Běnmìng nián)?

There are 12 animals (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig) in the Chinese zodiac, and each year welcomes a new animal. People are born under one sign and will run into their Zodiac Year of Birth (本命年 Běnmìng nián) every 12 years, which is on their 12th, 24th, 36th 48th, 60th, 72nd, 84th, 96th birthday etc.

Every year is considered to be managed by a God of Age (太岁 Tàisuì); if you were born under the same sign as the Tàisuì of that year, you are more likely to have the Evil Spirit (凶星 Xiōngxīng) get you in trouble.

How to ward off bad luck in your Běnmìng Nián?

Wear red

The most common and popular way is to wear red underwear. Other than that, a red waist belt, red bracelet, or any other red clothing is supposed to help. But all this red stuff must be purchased by other people; otherwise the effect is believed to be greatly reduced.

Wear jade, crystal, or gold accessories

Jade, crystal, and gold are said to have enough spiritual power to drive away the evil spirit in Chinese culture. That’s why you can see a lot of people, especially old people, wearing these kinds of accessories in China.

Worship the God of Age

As each year is controlled by a God of Age (太岁 Tàisuì), people also choose to go to temples to worship the God of Age and make a wish every year.

What’s special about red in Chinese culture?

In Yijing (易经, Classic of Changes), one of the Five Classics of Confucianism, red is associated with the “division” trigram of the “Bagua” (八卦, Eight Diagrams ), which also represents “light”. According to the theory of Yin and Yang, red is Yang, which can kill the darkness and evil spirits. Wearing red is a simple way to avoid the bad luck that considered to be Yin.

In addition, red is a color which means life and hope in Chinese culture. People choose to wear red for good luck for the new year.

Photo: pexels.com

Legend has it that if you have a birthmark it means you died of an accident in your previous life, and your birthmark is a clue to how it happened. If you have a birthmark, give it a closer look. Does it look like knife wounds or some other crazy accident?

Now this is all in good fun and we’re not sure who started these so called legends, but take it however you want to, it’s pretty interesting to check out these birthmark superstitions.

From a medical perspective, birthmarks are simply the result of excess skin pigment or increased blood vessels. However, there are beliefs related to the significance of birthmarks, both good and bad, in many cultures and religions around the world, passed from one generation to the next.

The superstitions vary widely. Birthmarks can be interpreted as relating to the person’s personality, as caused by strong emotions or particular food their mother had during pregnancy, or even as resulting from trauma in a previous life.

Just as with the interpretation of moles, many of these traditional explanations of birthmarks place great importance on the mark’s location. Read on to get a rough idea of superstitions about birthmarks, and if you happen to bear one find out what it might mean!

A hairy birthmark, no matter what color, is a sign of great wisdom. People born with hairy birthmarks are believed to lead a wise life.

A birthmark on the left side of the forehead signifies a potential spendthrift, while a birthmark on the right side of the forehead means self-control and strong willpower.

A birthmark on the nose indicates creativity and diligence. People with birthmarks on the nose tend to be successful both in their careers and family lives.

A birthmark on the chin denotes a breadwinner for the family, but with an unpredictable personality or a short temper.

A birthmark on the neck indicates difficult romantic relationships.

A birthmark on the collarbone means a mellow temper and generosity.

A birthmark on the left shoulder indicates financial difficulties, while a birthmark on the right shoulder means that you will be wealthy.

A birthmark on the arm for a man suggests he’s family-oriented, while for a woman it means she’s ambitious in her career.

A birthmark near the chest indicates a great thinker, but one who can be calculating and tricky in the pursuit of their own benefit.

A birthmark on the bellybutton indicates good luck and fortune lasting one’s whole life.

A birthmark on the back means truthfulness and open-mindedness.

People with a birthmark on their backside are believed to be “born with a silver spoon in their mouth”, and will have a worry-free life.

A birthmark on both the legs and fingers indicates decisiveness and independence.

A birthmark on the foot means enthusiasm for traveling and an adventurous spirit, while on the heel it indicates bad luck you can’t get rid of.

As we have seen, people are more inclined to interpret birthmarks auspiciously. It’s still the case that in some countries, people believe it brings them good luck to touch someone with a birthmark.

This article first appeared on www.beijing-kids.com in September 2018.

Photo: riverrunnerbaits.net, throneofbob, zoepadmoretattoo, unsplash

Do you ever get really excited about finding a four leaf clover, cross your fingers whenever you wish for something, or even get a bit nervous when the 13th falls on a Friday? These are all common superstitions in the west and as silly as some of them may sound, it is undeniable that they are ingrained as part of one’s culture. Similarly, China has its fair share of superstitions as well. Here are a few of these Chinese superstitions to help you avoid any bad luck while you call China home.

A twitch of the left eye forecasts fortune but a twitch of the right eye may forecast disaster
(Zuǒyǎn tiàocái，yòuyǎn tiàozāi, 左眼跳财，右眼跳灾)

In Chinese culture, people generally believe that there is a Yin and a Yang, or one good and one bad. So people naturally attach the meaning of “jumping for wealth” (跳财, tiàocái) and “jumping for disaster” (跳灾, tiàozāi) to these two phenomena, especially when related to the twitching of the left eye or the twitching of the right eye. According to The Jade Box by Xu Xun, a celebrated Daoist priest of the Jin dynasty (AD 265-420), people created a specific timetable to analyze luck and misfortune for the twitching of their eyes. For example, at the time of Zǐshí (子时, the period of the day from 11 pm to 1 am), if your left eye twitches, it means good luck and you will get someone’s help; if your right eye twitches, you will save a lot of money by having someone invite you to dinner.

It is bad luck to open an umbrella indoors
(Wūlǐ dǎsǎn shénjīng guàidàn, 屋里打伞，神经怪诞)

People have believed for hundreds of years that opening an umbrella indoors will bring bad luck “raining” down on you. In China, some people also believe something unnatural and bad will happen when an umbrella opens indoors. Folklore has it, umbrellas have an energy of Yin, which means an evil spirit. An open umbrella in the house tends to attract bad luck. Not to mention “伞” (sǎn) also sounds like “散” (sàn) in Chinese, which means “separation”. Nevertheless, some people believe it’s only bad luck if the umbrella is black.

Bottom teeth are thrown to the roof, while the upper teeth go under the bed
(Xiàyá diàole rēng fángdǐng, shàngyá diàole rēng chuángdǐ, 下牙掉了扔房顶，上牙掉了扔床底 )

Unlike America, when kids lose a tooth, they will put it under the pillow, then go to sleep. In Chinese culture, kids who lose teeth from their lower jaw will throw their teeth onto the roof, while upper teeth go under the bed, which is mimicking the trajectory that ideal tooth growth takes, straight and strong. That’s not all, they will also sometimes yell out a wish to grow a perfect looking, new tooth in its place.

Photos: pixabay.com

From a medical perspective, birthmarks are simply the result of excess skin pigment or increased blood vessels. However, there are beliefs related to the significance of birthmarks, both good and bad, in many cultures and religions around the world, passed from one generation to the next.

The superstitions vary widely. Birthmarks can be interpreted as relating to the person’s personality, as caused by strong emotions or particular food their mother had during pregnancy, or even as resulting from trauma in a previous life.

Just as with the interpretation of moles, many of these traditional explanations of birthmarks place great importance on the mark’s location. Read on to get a rough idea of superstitions about birthmarks, and if you happen to bear one find out what it might mean!

A hairy birthmark, no matter what color, is a sign of great wisdom. People born with hairy birthmarks are believed to lead a wise life.

A birthmark on the left side of the forehead signifies a potential spendthrift, while a birthmark on the right side of the forehead means self-control and strong willpower.

A birthmark on the nose indicates creativity and diligence. People with birthmarks on the nose tend to be successful both in their careers and family lives.

A birthmark on the chin denotes a bread earner for the family, but with an unpredictable personality or a short temper.

A birthmark on the neck indicates difficult romantic relationships.

A birthmark on the collarbone means a mellow temper and generosity.

A birthmark on the left shoulder indicates financial difficulties, while a birthmark on the right shoulder means that you will be wealthy.

A birthmark on the arm for a man suggests he’s family-oriented, while for a woman it means she’s ambitious in her career.

A birthmark near the chest indicates a great thinker, but one who can be calculating and tricky in the pursuit of their own benefit.

A birthmark on the bellybutton indicates good luck and fortune lasting one’s whole life.

A birthmark on the back means truthfulness and open-mindedness.

People with a birthmark on their backside are believed to be “born with a silver spoon in their mouth”, and will have a worry-free life.

A birthmark on both the legs and fingers indicates decisiveness and independence.

A birthmark on the foot means enthusiasm for traveling and an adventurous spirit, while on the heel it indicates bad luck you can’t get rid of.

As we have seen, people are more inclined to interpret birthmarks auspiciously. It’s still the case that in some countries, people believe it brings them good luck to touch someone with a birthmark.

Photo: riverrunnerbaits.net

Sneezing occasionally is deemed to be good for your health because it cleanses the nasal cavity. That fact aside, there are various superstitions and beliefs associated with sneezing since ancient times, which vary drastically between different cultures.

Blessing people after they sneeze is practiced all over the world. It’s not just a question of politeness; it’s a common superstition, deriving from people’s belief that sneezing is a sure sign of impending illness, and saying “God bless you” breaks the jinx.

In China, folklore regarding sneezing has been passed on through generations. A book describing the rites and customs of the royal family during the Tang Dynasty records that the officials would shout “万岁 (wàn suì “Long live”) whenever the Emperor’s mother sneezed. Today people in some parts of China still use that form of blessing.

These days, the most prevalent superstition regarding sneezing in China is that the number of sneezes dictates if the sneezing is a good or bad omen: sneezing once dictates that someone is speaking ill of you; sneezing twice means you’re being missed by someone; three times, someone is in love with you. More than three? You’ve probably caught a cold!

Also, there is another, less common version that’s based on what time of the day you sneeze: from 1 to 3 am, you’re missed; from 3-5 am, you will receive an invitation for dinner from a member of the opposite sex; 5-7 am, you will soon make a fortune; 11am-1pm, you will have a friend visiting from afar.

Physiologically speaking, sneezing is just one of the body’s reflex responses, and whether a sneeze is associated with anything superstitious or not is up to you.

Photo: Adobe Creative Cloud

SPRING festival

To me, celebrating the arrival of spring sounds like one of the best reasons to celebrate. This is particularly true up here in my husband’s hometown in Northeast China, a most barren land in winter. I vividly remember when my brother visited us in May 2015. We drove all the way to the North Korean border near Ji’an, a mere 5-hour drive through plains and mountain roads. Driving down a road next to the Yalu River, we could see North Koreans on the other side of the bank, some washing clothes, some taking a bath, others walking home. The trees had barely grown new leaves yet. Snow had melted, but it was still cold and the pictures we took all looked grey.

Spring in Northeast China

Spring in Northeast China is short and starts late. I still remember the excitement I felt when my husband exclaimed that with the celebration of Spring Festival, winter was now officially over and spring about to start. I imagined changing into fewer layers in the morning, spending the days outside, and taking my son for walks, marveling at the revival of nature. Only later did I realize that for my Northeastern Chinese husband, the beginning of spring does not have the same connotations it does for me. To him, the start of spring means that the coldest three weeks of the year are over. His version of the start of spring is slower and more subtle than what I have grown up knowing of the Austrian springs. It might mean that the earth starts to defrost, not necessarily that the trees will start carrying green leaves and blossoms. We’ll usually have to wear winter clothes for a few more months.

Celebrating Spring Festival with my in-laws

I still do like the connotation of spring being just around the corner. Tomorrow, I’ll try to coax my toddler son into wearing layer upon layer of winter clothing and will bundle up my 4-month-old baby to do the unheard of –take him out in the midst of winter. Together we will travel to visit my in-laws. Since we have two small children we don’t have a massive celebration. When visiting relatives we don’t partake in drinking copious amounts of baijiu or watching the men smoke and play Mahjongg. We’ll stuff jiaozi and hang up New Year’s decorations instead and will enjoy a sumptuous New Year’s dinner. And that’s about it. I see myself lying in bed early, trying to comfort my sons as we listen to the boisterous echo of firecrackers exploding on the cement ground just outside the flat, a warning sign to the Nian beast to never put its feet on this earth again. We’ll probably also have our air purifier on full blast to counteract the pollution caused by the fireworks. My father-in-law has already cut my toddler son’s hair. People here say you can’t cut hair in the month after Chinese New Year, or a maternal uncle is going to die. Since I have four brothers, we don’t want to take any chances.

Wearing Red in the Year of the Rooster

This spring festival is special in that it ushers in my husband’s benmingnian, his zodiac year. My husband was born in the year of the rooster. He’ll have to wear red to ward off bad luck every single day of the upcoming year. Red underwear, red socks, or some other red clothes are all supposed to help ward off bad luck incurred upon people in their zodiac year by taisui, the God of Age.

Being married to China and having children whose cultural heritage is partly Chinese does not mean I need to believe in every single Feng Shui principle or Taoist tradition, but it does mean I need to respect local traditions and superstitions–as long as they are not harmful.

Ruth Silbermayr-Song is an Austrian illustrator, German teacher and mother of two. She writes about life in China as a foreign woman, her cross-cultural marriage to a Chinese man, and child rearing bridging cultures and languages on her blog China Elevator Stories. Her story of pregnancy and parenting in China has appeared in the anthology “Knocked Up Abroad Again”.

Photos courtesy of Ruth Silbermayr-Song