Chinese superstitions making a comeback

[website]

Good article about the resurgence of old Chinese superstitions:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-02-06-china-weddings_x.htm

[Ian_Lee]

All these supposedly "superstitious" activities have been going on as usual in Hong Kong, Taiwan and overseas Chinese communities for decades despite all those drastic social changes within Mainland after '49.

Now when Mainland gradually becomes a more "normal" Chinese society, of course these old traditions come back.

Anyway, modernization and superstitution can always co-exist harmoniously. Why do you think there is a conflict?

[Dav-X]

You remind me of a funny article in Washington Post that covered curiously over the rock show in Lijiang.

At the date of the news published, there was a chinese journalist coming to the headquarters of Washington Post. At first, he wanted to come to know the success of the post, but he was surprised that these superficial reports can be found in one of the reputed paper in US.

[skylee]

I agree with Ian. I would say it is more like a tradition than superstition. People's attitude is like "寧可信其有", and it is just a good wish for their marriages (i.e. if you could do something to make your marriage last, why don't you do it). It is fun to see people rush to get married.

There are 7 盲年 (and also 7 閏年) in every 19 years. Here is more information on 盲年 and 閏年 -> http://www.fengshuiuniverse.com.my/index.phtml?sec=17&artid=200501260005

農曆“雙春”、“單春”、“無春”都是有規律可循的。它們十九年一個周期，凡農曆閏年都包含二十五個節气，都是“雙春”年。

農曆的“雙春”年和“無春”年是緊密相連的，如果農曆二零零四年閏二月是“雙春”年，那麼二零零五年就是“無春”年；此外，在每個周期中，“雙春”年和“無春”年各有七年，而“單春”年僅有五年。

[Ian_Lee]

But I would say 打小人 is a superstitution rather than a tradition. But during 驚蟄, there are still quite a few high-heeled, heavy make-up office ladies hiring those amahs at 鵝頸橋 to engage in such interesting activity.

IMO The HK Tourism Board should advertise this in their brochure that targets visitors from Mainland. Most likely they don't know what that is.

[pazu]

Okay, for the sake of discussion, let me post the most offensive message here ever! Don't ask me for translation.

打你個小人頭，等你有氣冇訂透，日日去撼頭。

打你個小人面，等你全家中非典，成世都犯賤。

打你個小人眼，等你成世都撞板，日日俾人斬。

打你個小人耳，等你日日痾爛屎，敏屎用手指。

打你個小人嘴，等你老母變老舉，日日被人隊。

打你個小人頸，等你周身都性病，花柳兼淋病。

打你個小人胸，等你非典兼中風，後門被人通。

打你個小人手，等你有錢唔識收，有樓變喳兜。

打你個小人腳，等你日日敷中藥，有鞋冇腳著。

[Ian_Lee]

Just wonder. Do people in Mainland read 通勝 first before they move, marry, start business etc?

And of course I do. When I moved to my new apartment in HK or new house in US, I did 拜四角 too!

[aeon]

打你個小人頭，等你有氣冇訂透，日日去撼頭。

打你個小人面，等你全家中非典，成世都犯賤...

Would this be witchcraft? A curse by any chance?

[pazu]

aeon, you're right...

[aeon]

I thought the bit I could understand looked nasty. Where did you get it from anyway?

Now it just has to be translated...

打你個小人頭，等你有氣冇訂透，日日去撼頭。
A curse down on your head, Vile One.
(Something about not being able to breathe?), may your head shake ceaselessly.


打你個小人面，等你全家中非典，成世都犯賤。
A curse on your reputation, Vile One. 
(May your household never rise), each generation be brought low.


打你個小人眼，等你成世都撞板，日日俾人斬。
A curse on your eyes, Vile One.
May you walk blindly into things your whole life, Daily...(?)


打你個小人耳，等你日日痾爛屎，敏屎用手指。
A curse on your ears, Vile One.
May you have perpetual diarrhoea, (?)


打你個小人嘴，等你老母變老舉，日日被人隊。
A curse on your mouth, Vile One. 
May your mother age quickly, Daily...(where's the verb here?)


打你個小人頸，等你周身都性病，花柳兼淋病。
A curse on your neck, Vile One. 
May you your whole body fester with VD, Clap as befits a whore.


打你個小人胸，等你非典兼中風，後門被人通。 
A curse on your heart, Vile One. 
May you (something about having a stroke), (Dunno, wishing 'he' gets buggered by any chance?)


打你個小人手，等你有錢唔識收，有樓變喳兜。
A curse on your hands, Vile One.
(Something about money), (Something about property)


打你個小人腳，等你日日敷中藥，有鞋冇腳著。
A curse on your feet, Vile One,
May they need ointment daily, (you'll need shoes but never walk?)

Care to tell me where I'm wrong, and fill in the gaps?

[pazu]

I think 打小人 is mostly a curse for some bad spirit only, you don't really have to target anyone specifically, it's not the same as voodoo. If you feel your luck was bad, you were harmed by some evil spirit, so you can hire a lady to curse that spirit... I think there're many different versions of 打小人 songs, google it and you can find more.

[Ian_Lee]

In term of superstitution, I don't think anyone in Mainland China is so crazy to pay US$910,000 for a car license plate number 12. Read:

http://weird-news.news.designerz.com/hong-kong-mystery-man-pays-910000-dollars-for-lucky-licence-plate.html?d20050221

And more crazy is that car license plate is non-transferable. The owner can keep it when he changes car, but he cannot pass it to his wife or kids after he dies.

By then the government can auction it again.

[Ian_Lee]

驚蟄打小人打到阻街

3月 6日 星期日 03:00 更新

【東方日報專訊】小人有難！昨日為農曆驚蟄，亦是坊間傳統「打小人」風俗日，多處地點有「打小人」活動，除灣仔鵝頸橋底墟場面外，香港仔一間廟外多名「打手」，因叫罵聲震天，街坊還以為有多人在街頭吵鬧，後始知誤會。而深水更有途人因不滿「打手」阻塞街道報警求助。

昨晨六時許，香港仔大道一一六號「大王公廟」門外，陸續有十多名個體戶「打手」開檔，至中午時分已有廿多人到廟外「幫襯」，各人自備一塊豬肉，在廟旁購買紙虎及元寶等物後，交給「打手」，「打手」立刻為顧客服務，揮動手中的拖鞋或用豬肉狂打紙虎，咒語謾罵隨口而出「打你個小人頭，打到你有氣無碇抖……」期間，有市民行經該處，聽到叫罵及拍打的「啪啪」聲此起彼落，以為有人吵架或打架，細看後才知道是「打小人」。

公價50 鵝頸橋數十人龍

另外，順寧道及東京街交界大坑渠的行人通道上，亦有近十名男女「打手」擺檔，昨晨十一時許，有途人行經上址時，發現有人在路中央以沙泥堆成小沙丘擺放香燭，令來往途人要左閃右避，以免踢中「小人」。由於人數愈來愈多，途人報警求助；警員到場了解後，因不欲干涉民間傳統風俗，只作出口頭警告，呼籲各「打手」合作，靠一邊開工，讓出通道予公眾使用。

昨晚七時為「打小人」吉時，灣仔鵝頸橋底人聲沸騰，更擠得水洩不通，逾百名「打手」各據一方，雖然該處「打小人」公價為每位五十元，時間只不過十五分鐘但並不影響信眾的興致，出現數十條人龍，有的人龍多達廿人排隊。

白虎開口日 消災解難

其中來自印尼的男華僑表示，雖然在言語上無法與「打手」溝通，又不明「打小人」的功用，但還是入鄉隨俗打了一次，感覺很新鮮。第二次「打小人」的女子稱，因為去年「打完」感到身體健康許多，故今年繼續打。從事金融界的陳先生表示，已連續三年在鵝頸橋「打小人」，他認為「打完」事事順利，故再幫襯。

驚蟄是中國傳統廿四個節氣之一，又稱「白虎開口日」，節氣神是雷公，民間傳統會「打小人、祭白虎」，祈求順境及消災解難。傳說中凶神之一的白虎會在此日出來覓食，人們為了自保，會先用豬血餵飼紙白虎，使其吃飽不再傷人，又以生豬肉塞在紙白虎口內，使其充滿油水，而不能張口說是非。