Top 7 No-Nos on Chinese New Year’s Day

Don’t want to take a bath on Chinese New Year’s day? Perfect. According to ancient Chinese beliefs, you’ve just brought more luck into your life.

The Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year is part of the Chinese tradition called the Spring Festival. It’s a celebration of the beginning of the year and the chance for a bountiful harvest. In recent times, given that 1 in 5 people around the world is Chinese, of Chinese heritage or has been influenced by the rich Chinese culture, it’s celebrated all over the world.

In Sydney, there are more than 100 events happening during the week and in Manila, the Filipino-Chinese community flock to Binondo, home to the capital city's Chinatown.

With the festivities come a long list of the do’s and don’ts to bring more luck into your life. Here are seven of them.

1. DON’T TAKE A SHOWER ON NEW YEAR’S DAY (January 25, 2020). It’s believed that the act of washing the hair is taking out the good luck brought in by the spirit of the new year. Traditionally in China, the new year happens in winter and if you wash your hair and hair dryers weren’t invented during those times, you will easily get sick. And if you’re sick on the first day, you will have bad luck for the entire year.
   
   
   
   
   
2. DON’T THROW AWAY THE RUBBISH. (January 25 to January 30). To make sure that the good chi stays in the house and throwing the elements that was part of the celebration may be like “throwing away” the good luck. Conversely, cleaning should happen a day before the start of the Spring Festival.
   
   
3. DON’T CUT YOUR HAIR (January 25 – February 9) this would symbolise cutting your luck. Also, using pointed objects (knives, scissors, needles etc) during this time would mean bad luck especially when it’s pointing at you.
   
   
4. DON’T FIGHT WITH ANYBODY. Swearing, arguing and scolding children on the day is not allowed. This brings negative energy in the household and puts a stress in the relationships in the family.
   
   
5. DON’T TALK ABOUT NEGATIVE STUFF. Words such as “death” and “sickness” creates collective negativity and becomes the energy of the household for the whole year. The first 15 days of the year should be filled with happiness and celebration.
   
   
6. DON’T BREAK ANYTHING. Or keep anything broken in the house because it disturbs the chi and causes bad luck.
   
   
7. DON’T EAT MEAT ON THE FIRST AND THE 15^TH DAY OF THE “NEW YEAR.” The Chinese believes that this will ensure a long and happy life. Also, the 15^th day is the first full moon of the lunar new year. Research shows the full moon’s rotational pull affects the tides and our body’s gravitational forces, consequently affecting the stomach.

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