Every homeowner has a motivation behind the property they buy, how they renovate it, and how they decorate it. When it comes to Chinese homeowners, superstitions can sometimes play a big role in everything from the direction the home faces, the numbers of the address, and the promotion of good energy.
Death isn’t a good neighbor.
Living in a home in close proximity to a cemetery or a funeral home is a deal-breaker for homeowners who believe in Chinese superstitions. Ghosts, evil spirits, and wayward souls are not ideal neighbors in Chinese culture. It’s not uncommon for hopeful Chinese homeowners to look up the history of a property to learn who has died in the home.
Choose a lucky number.
Most cultures have superstitions about lucky and unlucky numbers. In Chinese culture, lucky numbers have similar pronunciations to words with lucky meanings. The number 8 is associated with wealth and luck, making it the luckiest number in China. Even numbers often symbolize balance and harmony and are therefore lucky. Other lucky numbers include 3, 5, 7, and 9.
There are few unlucky numbers in China, with the most unlucky award going to the number 4. The pronunciation of ‘4’ in Chinese rhymes with the word for death. As a result, fourth-floor apartments and house numbers with 4 aren’t ideal for Chinese homeowners.
Customize your roof.
Your roof works hard, and in Chinese culture, the roof serves as protection, function, and a symbol of hierarchy. The condition of your roof plays a large role in your home’s curb appeal and resale value. Homeowners in the greater Pittsburgh area turn to Gibsonia’s award-winning roofing professionals for their roof repair and roof replacement needs.
Buccos is known for their A+ BBB rating, exceptional customer service, and quality work using the best products from brands such as Owens Corning. From roof repairs and skylights to new roof installations and roof repair, the Gibsonia roofing contractor can handle all of your roofing services needs at competitive pricing and deliver a finished project in a timely manner.
Before starting any remodeling or roof replacement project, a contractor will perform a free inspection of the entire roof to assess any water damage or leaks before giving you a free estimate of your project.
The elite roofer uses premium roofing materials in all of their installation services such as asphalt shingles, metal roofing, slate, and tile roofing, and ensures their work with warranties. They also offer durable gutters and downspouts as well as vinyl, fascia, and soffit siding replacement.
Roll a pineapple for luck.
The word ‘pineapple’ in the Chinese dialect Hokkien sounds similar to the word for ‘welcoming prosperity’. Chinese homeowners traditionally enter their new home with pineapple and roll it around the house while saying auspicious phrases. This tradition blesses the new home and guarantees the home is abundant and prosperous.
Enter with auspicious items.
Along with a prosperous pineapple, it’s a tradition for all the occupants of the new home to enter with auspicious items. These are thought to multiple the effects of the pineapple and attract more wealth. Homeowners can use feng shui coins, but the more common alternative is to carry specific fresh fruits. Oranges, pomegranates, apples, and peaches are auspicious fruits that symbolize prosperity, opportunity, safety, and good health.
Open all the doors and windows.
You usually want to air out a new home, whether it’s a new build, recently renovated, or has been sitting empty. Chinese superstition says to open all the doors and windows of your new home to encourage airflow throughout the house when you first enter. This will allow the ‘qi’, or positive energy, renew itself and flow freely throughout the home.
Turn on all the taps and the stove.
Another Chinese superstition to encourage qi is to turn on all taps, stoves, and electrical appliances. Leaving them on for three minutes (a lucky number that sounds similar to the word for birth) is thought to activate the areas of the home and encourage energy flow.
Don’t put calendars by the entrance.
Calendars are useful tools to remind you of important dates and activities, depending on where you hang them. According to Chinese superstition, hanging a calendar on or near the front door entrance serves as a reminder of life’s passing days and negatively affects the longevity of the home’s occupants.
Whether you’re shopping for a new home or remodeling your current one, consider incorporating these fun Chinese beliefs for prosperity and longevity when it’s time to settle in.
