{"id":8719,"date":"2017-06-10T16:12:48","date_gmt":"2017-06-10T16:12:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.digmandarin.com\/?p=8719"},"modified":"2017-06-10T16:12:48","modified_gmt":"2017-06-10T16:12:48","slug":"chinese-travel-superstitions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.digmandarin.com\/chinese-travel-superstitions.html","title":{"rendered":"10 Chinese Travel Superstitions"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the immortal words of Hans Christian Andersen, “to travel is to live.” But the question then becomes, where do you live<\/em> when you travel? A hotel? A hostel?? A yurt???<\/p>\n

Accommodations are a huge part of traveling, and it\u2019s not surprising that the Chinese have developed some very unusual superstitions over time about them. Today, we will talk about 10 Chinese travel superstitions that most Asian people either know or actively practice!<\/p>\n

Chinese Superstition Background Knowledge<\/h2>\n

You can\u2019t start talking about Chinese superstitions without first understanding the concept of “Yin” <\/em>and “Yang.”<\/em><\/p>\n

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Many of you might have heard of the Chinese taijitu<\/em> symbol which represents the balance of the entire universe. “Yin<\/em>” is the dark, shady side, while “Yang<\/em>” is the bright, positive side. Chinese people believe that according to the time and date of your birth, everyone has a different balance of yin<\/em> and yang<\/em> energy. Men tend to have more yang<\/em> energy and women with more yin<\/em> energy. Humans are also considered as yang<\/em> while ghosts as yin<\/em>. That is why people with less yang<\/em> energy are more likely to run into spirits.<\/p>\n

With that out of the way — are you ready to walk through these 10 Chinese travel superstitions with us? Tread carefully, it\u2019s about to get spooky!<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Knock on the door before you enter<\/h2>\n

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The first superstition of Chinese travelers is to knock on the door of any hotel to inform the person (or spirit!) inside that they are about to enter. In the view of traditional Chinese superstitions, knocking on the door before entering is a polite way to announce to the spirit of the room that they’re about to go in.\u00a0 While knocking, some might even go as far to say “So sorry for disturbing\u2026. we’re only staying for ____ nights!” Some Chinese also choose to stand sideways while opening the door to give the spirit a chance to leave the room before you enter.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 Flush the toilet right away<\/h3>\n

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Some Chinese travelers believe that flushing the toilet also flushes away negative energy. Plus, the flush is another kind way to tell the resident spirit that, \u201cHey! Someone is here!\u201d This superstition may have persisted because it is also just a hygienic way to make your toilet is properly clean from the get-go! For whatever reason you choose, flush your toilet and ensure that your hotel room is ‘clean’.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 Pat the pillow before going to bed<\/h2>\n

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Patting the pillow (and blanket!) before going to sleep is third way to tell the spirit that you’re going to use it. Again, this shows your politeness to the spirits (if they haven\u2019t already left the room after all the knocking and flushing!). The thinking is that if you just lie on the bed as soon as you enter, you might land on top of the spirit and they might get angry. By patting the pillow, you gently announce your presence and pat away the bad spirits and energy.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 Place your shoes in opposite direction<\/h2>\n

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\nChinese tourists are known to place their shoes in opposite directions after they enter their hotel room. This custom is to stop spirits from wearing the shoes and knowing where you are. The logic goes like this — placing the shoes in the opposite directions of the bed helps confuse the spirit about whether or not you’re in bed. As a bonus, it also makes it harder for the spirits to put on your shoes.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0 Don’t touch the Bible\/Koran<\/h2>\n

\"cts_6\"<\/p>\n

In Chinese superstition, it is said that you should not open the Bible or even touch it because you shouldn\u2019t disturb the very thing that is keeping you safe. In many hotel and hostels it is common to see a Bible in the drawer or on the table next to the bed. Chinese superstition says that it is better not to move it or open it.<\/p>\n

Chinese superstition pro-tip: <\/strong>If you book a room and find that the Bible has already been opened, it is best to request a changing of logic — because if it has been opened, it\u2019s probably for a reason!<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0 Don’t hang up your clothes<\/h2>\n

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Chinese may also believe that if you hang up your clothes, ghosts can easily slip into them and start wearing them around! At the same time, there\u2019s a practical reason as well for this superstition. Closet are sometimes musty and considered either \u201cbad energy\u201d or \u201cnot clean.\u201d When a place is musty, it’s more likely to attract spirits to gather or you’ll can easily get sick.<\/p>\n

Chinese superstition pro-tip:<\/strong> Fold your clothes or simply put them on a chair or table to avoid wearing a new friend back home.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0 Avoid rooms at the \u201cextreme end\u201d<\/h2>\n

\"cts_8\"<\/p>\n

Rooms at the very end of a floor lack a \u201cpublic presence.\u201d. When less people pass by your doorway you get less yang<\/em> energy. With less yang energy, ghosts tend to gather around those area — making them much more dangerous to live in. If you\u2019re living alone, definitely try to avoid rooms at the very ends of hallways.<\/p>\n

8.\u00a0 Occupy all beds<\/h2>\n

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If you are traveling alone and have been given a room with two beds, put your suitcase, clothes, books and more on top of the bed you’re not sleeping on. Some believe that empty beds attract ghosts to sleep on (since nobody is using it). Remember what we’ve mentioned in point 3? Pat the pillow and blanket to warn the spirits that you’re going to use the bed. Do the same for the empty bed to add even more yang<\/em> energy.<\/p>\n

9.\u00a0 Close the toilet door at night<\/h2>\n

\"cts_10\"<\/p>\n

In Chinese culture, the toilet is viewed as a very yin<\/em> place. It is believed that evil spirits frequently like to stay in the toilet and\/or restroom. Remember to turn on the light and close the toilet door before you go to sleep.<\/p>\n

Chinese superstition pro-tip:<\/strong> Leave the bathroom lights on to add more yang<\/em> energy.<\/p>\n

10.\u00a0 Don’t sleep facing mirrors<\/h2>\n

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Sleeping while facing a mirror is said to decrease your yang<\/em> energy. Mirrors are not only full of yin<\/em> energy but are also considered portals<\/em> for ghosts all over the world. To some, mirrors might even be used to steal your soul! This is said to be especially dangerous when you\u2019re tired and only half awake.
\nChinese superstition pro-tip: <\/strong>Don\u2019t even take pictures with mirrors in them, you never know what might come out of the background!<\/p>\n

Overall<\/h2>\n

Superstitions are still quite common in our day to day life. In Western culture, it may be the number thirteen, walking under a ladder, or spotting a black ca.t. In Chinese culture, it manifests into many different way — confused bits of wisdom from the past that have been mixed and matched over time. So believe it or not, it\u2019s up to you! Of course whether you believe it or not, it’s still an interesting thing to know about!
\nSeriously, though, don\u2019t forget to pat your bed down.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the immortal words of Hans Christian Andersen, “to travel is to live.” But the question then becomes, where do you live when you travel? A hotel? A hostel?? A yurt??? 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