Chinese Culture (General)

Dear Anon, The original purpose of real firecrackers was to `drive' away evil/bad luck. But because, in most countries real firecrackers were banned because due to many incidence where fire started e.g. in communities such as villages and even house caught fire. Many people therefore, symbollically, hang decorative `fake' fire crackers on thier main door. Warmest Regards, Cecil Lee

Dear Anon, The Willow tree is associated with the Spring season, a season of `sexual desire'. There is a term called "looking for a flower and buying a willow". It is not a complimentary remark. It means visiting a prostitute. Here flower refers to a `girl'. *Joke* Use it on someone (perhaps a Chinese friend) who do not know the meaning:) Willow tree "around a building" also signifies a brothel. So, I hope you can see why, `willow' plants are considered not auspicious. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, Horse racing is a passion of quite alot of Chinese. Although one cannot say that all Chinese behave this way, there is a certain percentage of Chinese visit the `Turf clubs on weekends to see horse racing'. In the most recent enhancement to this site, I had added a calendar module and there is also a God of Horses (birthday). http://www.geomancy.net/calendar/index.htm Therefore, displaying a horse racing perhaps could be an aspriation that the horse one bets on wins and make the person wealthly. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, It is quite common for the Chinese to `replace' the use of Lion statues outside their main gate (of some homes with Elephant statues). Elephants looks solid and `stands firm' on the ground. In Indian culture, elephants are equally `admired'. This is also true particuarly in Thailand. One simple reason is because of its strength and its trunk, elephants have been trained effectively to haul logs and timbers. They are intelligent workhorse. As such, especially the Thailand) or the Thai people, produce cheap Elephant carvings. I believe this gets sold worldwide. Not all Chinese, especially in my region use elephants. More often, those who went to Thailand either …

Dear Anon, 1. Dragon year is considered one of the most auspicious years to have a child. Do note that other years are also considered acceptable. 2. The least auspicious year is the year of the tiger especially if the child is a baby girl. 3. Many Chinese give away a baby tiger girl because some consider it inauspicous to have a girl `tiger' while. 4. While many know that it is difficult for their tiger daughter to get married. This is especially so, if they are (in the past) live with their in-laws. Their in-laws are worried that the household may be dominated by a tiger daughter-in-law. The dragon:- 5. The Dragon is the symbol of ancient China. The folk tales on the …

Dear Anon, Actually, there is no imperial briefcase. What is meant is that the standard Feng Shui foot (around 17inches) is the standard size briefcase made in Asia. It has an auspicious measurement which implies that the document held is surrounded by auspiciousness. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, Basically Dragon is Yang and it belongs to the earth element. Earth is one of the strongest elements because it always occurs in between each season. Sorry, I like to elaborate that there are two interpretations of Tiger. Tiger belongs to the wood element. 1. Under the Four Symbolic Animal Concept, One view is that Tiger (any tiger) but particularly a white tiger is considered Yin because it is actually the West cardinal point. (A yin location) 2. A tiger under Chinese Astrology Here, the Tiger is a wood element and under time or two hourly timing it falls under the Yang time of 0300 to 0459 am. It depends on what we are `talking' about. Since, placing a stat…

Dear Anon, Currently, China is practising one country `two systems' and the governor of Hong Kong is given autonomy to run it. So far, there are no restrictions in the practise of Feng Shui in Hong Kong. Feng Shui is practised much the same as it was prior to China's taking over. You will be surprised to learn that even during the older communist rule, it was rumoured that top communist party members do use Feng Shui. Evidence abound where poor quality Luo Pans were made in mass quantities in certain cities in China during the communist rule i.e. either they were used by the Chinese themselves or exported overseas. But since they are of inferior, poorer quality, most lik…

Dear Anon, Please see below:- It certainly made sense for babies to wear old clothes especially their own siblings clothes. I remembered at the time when pampers were not `invented' yet. Once upon a time, we use to use cotton nappies. It does make sense to `re-use' those that were purchased for an earlier sibling. Or even those given by relatives. In my personal opinion, this makes practical sense. As an adult, if you were to ask me, I would prefer to wear those that I bought because, we are not growing so do not need to buy clothes so often. Anyway, the only belief is that one should not wear torn clothes even if it is one's personal clothings. Frankly, being s…

Dear Anon, 1. The lotus root is a `root' grown underground. It is equivalent to potatoes where it grows underground and `harvested' by digging it out. 2. Like all food, it is much `respected' because of its cooling properties. For example, if one has a sore throat, some Chinese steam it with water and pork or peanuts or other ingredients. The soup is usally drank and the lotus root slices are eaten or thrown away after the soup is made. (Some people like eating it while others obtain the soup). The tea-pot in one of the links is a replica of how the lotus root looks like. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, 1. Many of the bones come from dead animals. Bones range from elephants to buffalo and other animals. 2. Bone carvings are intricate carvings and a unique art. In my opinion, thus there is relatively no specific reason other than creating `art' on the bones. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, 1. The most common colour associated with Jade is green. 2. Many people believe that the darker the colour of jade, the more valuable it is. 3. In the past, it is common for a lady to wear a jade bracelet around their wrist. 4. Sometimes when they grow `fatter', it is difficult for the jade to come off. But usually soap does the trick. 5. Many believe that the longer the jade is worn, it turns a `darker' colour. Perhaps, it is due to the jade being porous and absorbing the contaminants surround it? 6. For those who have noticed, the Free resources on the website, (under Chinese tombs, The Landscape Feng Shui) there is a body covered entirely with green jade. To…

Dear Anon, It is true that some Chinese consider it inauspicious to keep caged birds. The significance is based on `symbolism'. Where it is cruel to keep the birds. Rather, they should not be `imprisoned' but to be allowed to fly freely in the wild. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, Usually, this applies to family owned companies where the patriot e.g. founder believe strongly in Chinese astrology. Here, more importantly, new venture partners are checked discretely by their regular Geomancers. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, 1. From what I can understand, when I was young, my house used to have an urn i.e. collecting water and we used to rear turles. 2. I believe their bite can be quite nasty. 3. I have also seen large pools of turles e.g. in a public garden. 4. It is my belief that if they are not properly `fed' may tend to eat fishes. Apologise if what I said may be `silly' or whether, it is the truth... erh.. I am really guessing it could be because of the above reason. If I am wrong, please accept my sincere apologies as I have little knowledge of this. Have anyone any experience in this? Would love to hear from you:) Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, 1. In the past, a large percentage of Chinese do not have tatoos. During the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's, tatoos especially elaborate ones are found on Chinese gangsters or secret society members. 2. You can really see lots of tatoos on their bodies, hands and legs. 3. It was not difficult for the Police Secret Society Supression unit to run them up. 4. Even in the 1980's, tatoos on these youths but lesser. With the advent of model `equipment' or status symbols, at one time, many of these youths or secret society members carry instead at one time `expensive' Motorola `brick' handphones of the 80's. Suddenly, handphones, from my personal observation became the st…

Dear Anon, The Chinese consider the Owl inauspicious and there are three different reasons for this: 1. The Chinese do not like the sound or hooting that the Owl makes. In Chinese phonetic meaning, it gives the expression for digging of a grave. Here, one of the ancient Chinese belief was that when a person is about to die, one would hear the Owl hoot calling out `dig and dig'. 2. It was believed that when the young of an Owl was about to fly, it is believed to dig out its mother's eyes. Thus the association that the Owl is blind. Of course, this is not true. Owls have excellent eye sight. Para 2, is just a tale! 3. The Mandarin word for Owl is the same word / character …

Dear Anon, Sometimes it is difficult to combine what some of us feel necessary while others may not. Other reasons could also be based on monetary e.g. attract tourism. Another reason is also because of space constraints. In my country, the zoo adopts an open concept i.e. you cannot see any cages (especially for the large animals). Clever use of water holes or canals to prevent animals from escaping. Sometimes because of sensitivity, government officials do not seem to be a participant in Feng Shui. They may for example, call for a discrete FS survey or get advice from a Fortune Teller. But these are usually kept in confidential and hardly released. The logic is that, if …

Dear Anon, Yes, I agree with you. It is quite true that the traditional Chinese cuisine does not include turkey. More commonly, the Chinese rear goose, ducks and chickens. Perphaps, the turkey was less well known thus not popular with the Chinese. (My personal guess). I believe, the turkey is less well known and personally, the meat is coarse as compared to those of other smaller birds. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, 1. Pearls signify pure and precious. 2. Chinese learned to cultivate pearls long before the Japanese cultivated them. 3. Chinese associate `tears' as beads of small pearls and it is common to place a pearl in the mouth of a dead person. 4. If one has seen mother-of-pearl inlay in an antique furniture, one will be amazed by the `glitter' of the inlay. It is like ebony and ivory, where the ivory gleams and `glows' in different shapes. Simply lovely! Warmest Regards, Cecil