Ten Common Superstitions In Taiwan
Almost 97% of Taiwanese are of Han Chinese ethnicity, and many folk customs in Taiwan are shared with mainland China. For those without a Chinese cultural upbringing, many of these folk customs or superstitions 迷信 (mí xìn) may seem absurd and baffling. Here are some of the most common superstitions that many Taiwanese still practice nowadays.
(1) Pointing at the moon will make your ears bleed.
Most Taiwanese would recall a parent or grandparent warning them of the consequences of pointing a finger at the moon. It is said that by pointing to the moon, you are disrespecting the moon goddess and hence “會被割耳朵 (huì bèi gē ěr duǒ)”, which means your ear will be cut.
This folk custom is also widespread among Chinese immigrants in Southeast Asia.
(2) Sticking chopsticks upright in rice has special meanings.
Children and foreigners first learning to master eating with chopsticks are often warned against sticking their chopsticks upright in rice.
This is due to the custom of offering a bowl of rice with chopsticks (or incense) perpendicularly placed into the center of the bowl when praying to the deceased. Hence, by sticking chopsticks upright into your rice bowl, it is as if you are cursing the person in front of you to an early death by mimicking the praying ritual for the deceased. Something to consider the next time you are dining with a frenemy.
(3) Number 4 is bad luck.
Taiwanese think the number 4 四 (sì) is unlucky because it sounds similar to the word 死 (sǐ), which means to die. Hotels and hospitals in Taiwan will often label the fourth floor as “5” or a number-alphabet combination such as “3A” in order to avoid it.
Most Taiwanese would typically avoid the number four if they can. Nonetheless, if without other options, many modern Taiwanese would generally be okay with living on the fourth floor, or have the number 4 in their house / apartment number, car plates and phone numbers.
(4) Numbers 6 and 8 are awesome.
In contrary to 4, 6 and 8 are auspicious numbers.
The affinity for 6 comes from a common saying in Mandarin 六六大順 (liù liù dà shùn) which is a wish for everything to go smoothly. Meanwhile, the number 8 八 (bā) sounds like 發 (fā), which means prosperity.
It is not unusual for Taiwanese to pay more for the numbers 6 or 8 in car plates and phone numbers.
(5) Clocks, shoes and umbrellas are bad presents.
Giving a clock 送鐘 (sòng zhōng) sounds similar to 送終 (sòng zhōng) — notice the same pinyin pronunciation — which translates to handling the funeral affairs of a family member or taking care of a dying parent. Interestingly, gifting a watch 手錶 (shǒu biǎo) is totally acceptable, and might contain romantic implications if between a potential couple.
Some couples would avoid giving shoes to each other because it would mean sending the person away, i.e. they will break up. However, the recipient can workaround this by paying the gifter a symbolic 1 taiwanese dollar thereby converting the gift into a purchase.
The Chinese word for umbrella is 傘 (sǎn) which sounds similar to 散 (sàn) which means to scatter or break up. Some believe that giving a friend or significant other an umbrella would tamper their relationship.
(6) Red underwear brings good luck.
Red is an important color in the Chinese culture and a symbol of good fortune and joy. Many Taiwanese believe that wearing red underwear, especially during the Chinese New Year, will bring good luck. Some serious mahjong players will often wear red underwear when playing to boost their odds of winning.
(7) Picking up random red envelopes on the street might lead to a ghost marriage.
Cash is a very common gift in Chinese culture and is almost always given in red envelopes 紅包 (hóng bāo). These monetary gifts are often seen during the Chinese New Year, weddings, and other special occasions.
When walking around Taiwan, if you happily stumble upon one, beware. You might be accepting a dowry for a deceased maiden.
The Taiwanese culture is historically male-dominant and the spirit of unwed daughters are sadly not allowed in the family shrine. Hence, some affluent families will try to get a living man to marry the spirit of their deceased unwed daughter in a ghost marriage 冥婚 (míng hūn) by putting out a red envelope on the streets with some money as well as a lock of hair, bits of nails, or a photo of the deceased. The parents will then hide nearby and ambush whichever guy that picks up the bait, i.e. red envelope. It is said that if a woman or child were to pick up the envelope, the family would have to put out another envelope and wait for the next victim.
There are hearsay of other types of red envelopes on the streets such as red envelopes to change one’s luck, but the general consensus of picking up random red envelopes is that it will lead to bad luck.
(8) Long list of not-to-dos during the seventh month of the lunar year.
The seventh month of the lunar calendar is regarded as the Ghost Month 鬼月 (guǐ yuè). During this month, the gates of hell open up allowing ghosts to freely roam the land of the living, seeking food and entertainment.
There are many things that are considered taboo during this month including:
- Do not swim in the ocean, lakes, or streams as the water ghost 水鬼 (shuǐ guǐ) might pull you down as their scapegoat 替死鬼 (tì sǐ guǐ) in order to incarnate. Scary stuff.
- Do not whistle at night, the ghosts might like it too much and follow you around.
- Avoid going out or taking photos late at night as this is when the ghosts are most active and you might accidentally bump into them.
- Avoid buying a new car and moving into a new house. You don’t know who or what might come with it.
- Avoid getting married. Some practical couples will choose to wed during this period as wedding venues and vendors are typically cheaper during this unpopular season.
- Do not open umbrellas indoors as ghosts like to hide and rest under umbrellas.
- Avoid saying the word ghost 鬼 (guǐ) or the ghosts will think you are calling out to them. Taiwanese often use the term 好兄弟 (hǎo xiōngdì) — which mean good brothers — instead.
(9) Referring to the Four Pillars of Destiny for compatibility.
The Four Pillars of Destiny, also called Eight Characters of Birth 生辰八字 (shēng chén bā zì), or simply bazi 八字 (bā zì) is a Chinese astrological method of predicting one’s destiny using their birth year, month, day, and hour.
Parents would take the bazi of both their child and future spouse to a fortune teller 算命師 (suàn mìng shī) to ensure compatibility. Some families would not decide on the name of a newborn family member before consulting a trusted fortune teller. There has also been stories of very traditional Taiwanese bosses 老闆 (lǎo bǎn) checking for bazi compatibility before promoting someone to a senior position in the company.
If a Taiwanese casually ask you for the exact time you were born, it might have to do with your bazi.
(10) Praying, or 拜拜 (bài bài) as the Taiwanese says, is the answer to everything.
A lot of Taiwanese are not particularly evangelistic about religion, but they often turn to praying when in doubt. There’s a popular saying in Taiwan called 有拜有保庇 (yǒu bài yǒu bǎo bì), meaning if you pray you will get the protection from the gods.
Taiwanese especially like to pray when encountering obstacles in life. Interestingly, they go to different gods depending on their agenda. For example, a new shop owner or a shop owner with recent decline in business will often go to the God of Land or Groundskeeper God 土地公 (tǔ dì gōng) for blessings. Someone looking for romance or marriage would go to the God of Love or Marriage 月老 (yuè lǎo) for guidance. Those hoping to pass an exam with flying colors would go to the Learning God 文昌帝君 (wén chāng dì jūn) for an extra boost.
Similar to most societies, there is a varying degree of devoutness towards folk customs among Taiwanese, with the elderly typically being more stringent and the younger generation being more relaxed. In fact, some non-believers just follow along to appease their elders.
If you are planning to visit or live in Taiwan, prepare thyself to possibly encounter these folk customs. Nonetheless, Taiwanese are very accepting of foreign cultures and wouldn’t be offended if you were to accidentally do or say something that is taboo.
I have heard a few of my Taiwanese friends say 寧可信其有 (nìng kě xìn qí yǒu), meaning when in doubt, choose to believe it to be possible. I would take a bet that is how most Taiwanese feel about the superstitions passed on to them by their elders.
