- Asians and taboos have been inseparable for decades.
- Let’s explore some of the common taboos that still hang over the Asian community.
Imagine this, a young man eagerly goes to view a house that he’s keen on purchasing, along with his two favourite women — his mom and grandma. He’s made up his mind but then comes a wrecking ball that shatters his dreams!
Boom! The house doesn’t pass the taboo test. He’s then hit with a string of comments like “Ah boy, this land is too close to the cemetery, it’s bad luck!” and “Boy, the entrance is facing the staircase, that’s bad Feng Shui la”.
In Asian households, such property taboos are something we can never run away from. There’ll always be elderly figures, the master of all taboos, with their dos and don’ts lectures. Although some of us choose to sneakily defy these taboos, they’re also some firm believers.
Should these taboos influence the choice of our dream home? That’s up for debate because it’s a matter of personal choice. However, let’s take a closer look at a few of the many taboos the Asians swear by.
Number 4, Out The Door!
If you enter the lifts of certain high-rise buildings, you’ll realize the 4th floor is missing. Ever wondered why?
For most Chinese, the number 4 is considered very ‘suay’, which means unlucky. They particularly dislike it because its pronunciations in Mandarin and Cantonese, ‘si’ and ‘sei’ respectively, sound similar to death.
Hence, the Chinese always avoid buying houses that have the number 4 in their addresses. But fair enough, who’d like any number associated with misfortune anyway?
Steer Clear of Down-Slope Houses
Getting a home that’s down a slope? Woah, that’s a big no-no for our Chinese friends. They believe that occupying a house built on a slope will cause their prosperity and luck to slip away down the road.
Some people agree with this taboo but with different reasoning. They think it’s best to avoid down-slope houses due to the chances of landslides occurring.
Hmm, either way, we need all the prosperity and safety we can get during this pandemic. So, down-slope houses may not be our most favourite option for now!
T-Junctions – Boo!
Houses situated at T-junctions? Thank you, next! Many people feel uneasy about buying houses near these junctions for obvious reasons. Many vehicle accidents happen here resulting in ‘bad energy’.
However, some people believe that T-junctions are a ‘gateway’ for evil spirits to enter our realm. Therefore, they avoid this location in fear of it affecting their health and wealth.
It is said that living opposite a T-junction can cause severe loss to the homeowners, such as loss of job or decline in health and wealth.
Everyone would think twice before buying such properties unless they don’t mind the negative energy or evil spirits paying them a humble visit. Hmm, we’re curious, would you mind?
Avoid Below Street Level Houses
It is believed that living in a house that is below street level will invite bad luck. The homeowners would constantly find themselves fighting an uphill battle as they struggle with high negative Qi energy.
This negative Qi energy will apparently have a detrimental impact on our lives, such as a significant decline in health and prosperity. The pandemic has already cost us so much, so do we really need this negative energy in our way?
However, skeptical people would be like ‘Oh please, let’s be practical when the road is above the house, dust would easily slip into the house causing health issues”.
Some even debunk this taboo by claiming that people avoid such houses because they can easily get flooded during the monsoon seasons.
So, which team do you belong to? Team #Taboo or Team #Skeptics? Oops not so fast, make sure you do some fact-checking before you choose.
Long-vacant Houses? Keep Away!
Even if a house was left empty for weeks, people nearby would let their imagination run wild and create their version of horror stories. If the lights flicker? Haunted. Hear the slightest creaks? Haunted. The dogs howling nearby? Haunted.
Many believe if a house is not occupied for a long time, it will be taken over by supernatural beings. Creepy isn’t it? So if someone were to move in later, they’d have to either co-exist with the ‘tenants’ or perform rituals to clear the house.
Are you an adventurer? If you aren’t a chicken, like most of us, maybe you should try exploring an abandoned house and share your findings with us.
Wrap Up
Taboos! Not one, not two, but there are hundreds and thousands of them. These are probably some of the common ones, but they all vary across the globe, and each individual may have a different perspective in which we should all respect.
No, we’re not telling you what to believe. We just want to remind you to not blindly believe everything that’s passed down, we’ve got to view it with an open mind and figure out the rationales behind these practices.
So, our dearest Asian friends, have you been exposed to such taboos while growing up?
We’re curious, tell us what are the taboos that your family swears by in the comment section below!
