The universality of lucky red underwear

[Baron]

In the region of China where I lived, it was regarded as vitally important to wear red underpants for the duration of the year when it's the year of your Chinese zodiac animal. ie, people who were born in the year of the horse should be preparing to embark on a year of red underpants. The reason for this practice is that apparently you're liable to have a year of turbulent luck, good or bad, and the red underwear is a bit of extra protection against bad luck.

 

Is this a widespread tradition? Should I be advising my horse-year friends to invest in red pants?

 

[skylee]

I don't think it is widespread. Over here in HK some people might like to wear red underwear during the Chinese New Year period. But it is not a universal thing, and it is generally not regarded important.

 

There are other ways to fight 本命年 (called 犯太歲 here) but most people are not serious about it.

[Meng Lelan]

Here in the US I've seen 本命年 teens and young adults of Chinese heritage (through their parents for the most part) wear a red thread bracelet for that year only. Seen that in Beijing as well. The red thread bracelet is always very simple, sometimes there is a very tiny charm or jade piece embedded in the red thread. 

[Baron]

Please tell me more about how people on HK 犯太歲. I have a BBHK in need of protection.

 

Interesting about the red bracelet. It seems like a bit of a cop out when you consider the commitment required to wear 365 days of red underpants.

 

What happens if the thread snaps?

[Lu]

From what I know of this custom, you're supposed to wear something red during your 本命年. It's not always convenient to wear a red shirt or pants, hence the red underwear or red string. If the thread snaps, can't you just replace it with a new one? After all, even red underwear is taken off regularly, so presumably going without red for a short time doesn't have to mean immediate disaster.

 

In Taipei, just before New Year shops selling red underwear popped up all over the place. This was mainly for New Year itself I think, not just for people whose year it was.

 

Skylee, I'm also interested in hearing about the other methods (to try in my next 本命年. Superstition can be rather contageous.)

[langxia]

It was my year and even I as not Chinese was wearing something read all year long Most of the time red underwear, but not plain red and some with different shades of red. I also got some red underwear as presents from my gf last year. But I have to say that I study Ethnology and thus I am always interested in customs and might take part to see what it is like.

And indeed the red thread or bracelet would have been another option and I have some friends who did that (In Beijing), some of them very superstitious with other charms as well during that year.

[Guest realmayo]

Red thread's good for age-guessing, people don't expect you to know about it so 'hmm, I think you're what, 36?' can surprise (particularly if they're 24).

[skylee]

I am one of those who do not take such things seriously. But some years back my mom gave me a small gold coin/pendant with a pig(!) on it to ward off bad luck in my 本命年. That had to be on sale in jewelry shops when it was close to the new year. She expected me to wear it. I said thanks and put it in my big wallet and then in my 浩瀚 handbag, so she could be sure I would carry it with me almost all the time. 

[skylee]

These threads are relevant -

 

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/15765-next-year-is-my-year-in-the-chinese-zodiac/

 

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/38351-generally-speaking-how-much-importance-do-the-chinese-place-on-their-zodiac/

[Kenny同志]

Is this a widespread tradition?

 

 

I don't know about other areas but it is not a tradition here in 常德.

[roddy]

One of the ways you knew it was almost New Year in Beijing was the prevalence of red underwear in the shops. I can remember people talking about wearing red for their 本命年, but not sure how many people did it. 

[Demonic_Duck]

I heard that it has to be a gift from someone else, you can't buy it for yourself. I don't think most people take that too seriously, though. I did once hear a co-worker talking about how she didn't believe her family's advice to wear red and then lost her purse, I was never quite sure if she was being tongue-in-cheek, though...

[scottt]

Red = Lucky ? ..... Tradition?..... Possible !
Red Underwear = Bring good Lucks ? ...... Tradition? ..... No !
People wearing jade is more traditional way of inviting lucks.
As the red underwear, read pants...... I think they all businessmen’s  promotion activities, not traditional behaviors.
In my childhood (1950s), most underwear hanging-out were white color. Both man and women, kids and adult.   With the economic growth, the underwear became colorful gradually.

[陳德聰]

Red bracelet/pendant are a thing here, but we do definitely joke about red underwear. This is more because of how red underwear seems to have popped up in every Walmart or Tesco or whatever other big superstores every year around the new year, and not because we actually would conceivably wear red underwear specifically for this purpose.

I definitely considered buying my brother red underwear last year as he is a snake, but it was more out of amusement than tradition. The superstition surrounds the colour red, not underwear.

That being said, I feel like there wouldn't be soooooooo many red underwear everywhere if people weren't buying them.

[mandarina]

Wow, one year of red underwear does sound like a commitment. 

I just heard that you're supposed to wear (new) red underwear on the eve of Spring festival leading up to the first day of the New Year. 

Also, when it was my 本年 I was given a red string (bracelet) and a red necklace by my Chinese family (to scare the red-averse demons away, I was told). On top of that, they told me to see 算命先生 and he said that a year of changes is in front of me resulting in me moving to New Zealand - that didn't happen though. 

[Baron]

Thank you all for the input. This has been a very useful thread from which I can conclude that my former town was exceptionally committed to superstition. I supposed the dead cats draped in the bushes should have been a giveaway. It seems like red thread with a gold charm is the way to go to protect my friend from marauding demons.

 

While red pants may not be necessary, might get some anyway. Extra insurance.

[imron]

The practice was fairly widespread where I lived in China (Hebei and Beijing).  Wear something red during your zodiac year - not necessarily underwear although that was also popular.

Although people I questioned about it said it was not because of superstition, but because of tradition.  To which I thought, yes, a superstitious tradition :-)

[Bigdumogre]

In NY I see a lot wearing the thin red braclets but never heard of underwear.

[Lu]

In NY I see a lot wearing the thin red braclets but never heard of underwear.

Presumably because you don't usually see people's underwear?

[crazy-meiguoren]

You mean I also have to wear red underwear also?  I'm already in trouble for not forwarding the threatening memes that keep coming my way.