The festivals are one of the most joyous periods of time that we all eagerly await for every year. Hong Kong and almost the entire East Asia is currently going through one of the biggest festive celebrations of the year. It is apparently the longest vacation that people of Hong Kong and China get every year during the traditional festival of Lunar New Year which is more popularly referred to as the Chinese New Year. This festival is 15 days of a non-stop continuous joyride that provides ample substance to the like of travellers who seek to explore the local culture and traditional practices.
The countdown to the Chinese New Year begins two weeks prior to the Chinese New Year Day and it is the most loved festival of the region beyond a doubt. While we all know how much positive vibe is created by any such celebrated event complimented by the decorations and street shopping markets, dishes and desserts and sharing time with the friends and family. You should not miss the incredible opportunity to visit Hong Kong on the eve of Lunar New Year as you can avail the Ctrip promo code to get amazing deals and offers on your travel booking this year. There is no shred of doubt that you would be in for an unmemorable retreat on this majestic place. But apart from those traditions and customs that festivals are usually associated with, there are a few superstitious beliefs too which people link with the festivals. So let us take a look at some of the interesting superstitions that people of Hong Kong practice during the Chinese New Year.
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Cleaning Up the House in Advance
There are many superstitious things that we often find weird or outrageous, to begin with. The festivals are mostly very focused on the neat and clean house and Chinese New Year is no different than this. Therefore, almost all the households put a drive of cleanliness an essential preliminary basic of any festival. But there is an even more intriguing aspect of it. The households don’t even touch any product that is meant for cleaning purposes till the New Year day is passed. The locals believe that cleaning the house during this period sweeps away the good fortune that might have come to them along with dirt and dust. In fact, most households usually pack all their household cleaning products after cleaning the house in advance.
Avoid Books, Shoes and Sharp objects
Cantonese language which is spoken by the local people of Hong Kong also gives rise to a couple of superstitions which are ardently followed by the population. This widely practised superstition restricts people from visiting or purchasing any new book between the two weeks long festive event. The reason behind this is that the word used for Book in the Cantonese language also has homonym that would translate into the word ‘Loser’. In a very similar manner, Shoes also have a homonym that is used to denote ‘roughness’ or ‘patchiness’ which meant that people would also avoid buying any new pair of shoes. The dominance of this superstition is evident as both bookstores and shoe outlets remain closed for the entire span of 14 days until the festival gets over. People also avoid the use of any sharp object in between the two weeks as sharp objects are considered to be a bad sign.
Balancing Out the Liabilities
The Lunar New Year marks a fresh start which is supposed to bury all the worries and stresses aside. This is a very generic concept that can be found in a number of societies across the globe. Cantonese culture adamantly enforces the people to get rid of all their prior liabilities that are yet to be fulfilled. The people actually follow this with a very sincere effort and try to balance out all their dues or debts that they are entitled to return. Most people dip their pockets to level up on their financial burdens even if that means they have to break their savings and deposits.
Family Get-Together for Dinner
The liabilities are not just financial but beyond that too which every person has towards his/her family. The family system has a very significant value in the social fabric of Hong Kong and the Chinese New Year is one of those times which families have traditionally used to unify and assemble together for a family dinner. This concept is ardently followed and holds a different level of importance that the people of other cultures can’t fathom about. In case, the family get-together could be arranged, it is considered a sign of very bad news coming for the family very soon.
Wooing Good Luck to Come Your Way
Superstitions are nothing but beliefs that are not factual or scientific by any mean. The people oblige to the ancestral conceptions and traditions to ensure they do things rightly from their part. As there have been few bad signs or fortune, there are some for good ones too. The people of the region use very high contrast and bright colour for decorations during the eve of this festive period as they believe bright colour translate into brighter prospects for them in the new year. It is also observed that people keep the windows of their houses open from the two weeks prior up to the night of New Year. They consider fresh air coming from the window panes brings good luck along with it. This is also the reason why people do not sweep away the dust that comes in through the open window carrying good luck for them and their family.
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