According to Chinese Tradition

If you are or are planning to be an expat living in China, beware that superstitions are a big part of everyday life.  To narrow it down to some of the most common ones (lest you invite ghosts into your life unknowingly!) here are some general ways to keep safe, healthy, and prosperous in your new life abroad

To keep ghosts far, far away where they belong:

• Wear a strand of forty-nine garlic bundles on your head.  This effectively deals with vampires, too.  One can never be too careful.
• Wear jade when possible
• Wear crystal
• Wear a safety charm that you buy at your local Buddhist temples
• Carry seven pieces of leaves from a banyan tree
• Carry 36 pieces of glutinous rice.  I am assuming they mean uncooked.
• Wear red shoes and underwear.  It was never specified if this is all you should be wearing……

 Did you know that Chinese ghosts especially like to hang out at hotels? To keep them at bay:

• Knock before entering the room, showing respect to anyone or anything that may reside there.
• Flush the toilet. This means to flush out any bad influences.
• Don't place socks or shoes neatly by the bed.  It will be easier for ghost to find the bed and bother your slumber!

 Basic Feng Shui for the home to keep the good energy flowing: 

• Mirrors should not reflect out through a window.
• Never place your desk so that your back is to the door.
• Never place a bathroom above a dining room.
• Never place the master bedroom above the garage.
• Never face the gate directly to the road.
• Don´t even think about building a house so that it is facing North.
• Be careful about using even and odd numbers.  Stairs should always have an even number. 

Especially for New Years:

• Make sure all doors and windows are opened at midnight to allow the old year passage.
• Ensure a good New Year by refraining from eating meat on the first day of the New Year.
• The longer the noodles you serve on New Years, the longer your life. This one could be fun.   
• Make sure plants in your home are blooming during the New Year celebration, especially on New Year’s Day.  You can not even help but be prosperous then.
• Ensure good luck remains with you throughout the New Year celebration by making sure that dirty floors are swept inwardly, and the soil is stored in the corners where it will remain until the New Year has passed.
• Pay back all of your outstanding debts by New Year’s Day.  Maybe we should adopt this one in the US and see what happens. 
• For a happy, healthy, wealthy future, make sure everyone in the family wears red clothing on New Year’s Day.  If anything else it makes for coordinated family photos.

Admittedly, this is a lot to remember, and these suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg.  There are literally thousands and thousands of other common superstitions still used today in China.  You must admit, it does seem a small price to pay lead a life free of ghosts, to find love, safety, wealth, health and happiness.  And if all else fails, if you have a concave navel, you can relax.  You are way ahead of  many others.  You are a chosen one and your life will be much easier than the other unfortunate souls who have convex ones.  Phew!


Are you an expat in China? Do you have any stories to tell.  I would love to hear from you. Email me susan@expatdailynews.com

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