Trick or Treat – Halloween Chinese Quest Style

Happy Halloween!

I know what treats I hope to find in my basket… oodles and oodles of Fortune Cookies!!  Or, perhaps an Egg Roll.  Anything else will just result in yet another trip to the Dentist.  I’m sure Mee Har Vee wouldn’t complain.  But, my wallet sure would!  Those cover the treats.

But, what about the tricks?  Halloween is full of all kinds of spooky ghosts, goblins, and dentists… err, devils.  But, do you want to learn about some really scary things that you want to avoid on Halloween?  Or, on any other day for that matter.

Well, here are some Chinese superstitions you’ll definitely want to take heed of:

Let’s start off with one that’s in the Halloween spirit:  If one hits another person with a broom, the hitter will get bad luck and he will ruin his life.   Adage:  Tricks are for kids, AND brooms are for Witches!

If a dog howls for a few hours in late night, it means someone died somewhere.   But, what do they say about black cats??

If a baby cries for no reason, the Chinese believe that there are ghosts around and the child is disturbed by the ghosts.  Or, they got lumps of coal in their Halloween bags.  THAT would even make Mee cry!

It is a superstition among the Chinese that if one marries a person who is either three or six years older or younger is bad and it will bring bad luck to the couples.  Some might say, wedding bands are bad luck.  But, I digress.

The Chinese believe that clipping toe-nails or finger-nails at night would bring ghosts to that place.  Hide the nail clippers tonight!

Another popular belief of the Chinese is that if one encages and keeps a turtle as a pet, it will ruin his business and fortune. for it will slow a person’s business down.  One could argue, that Turtle Soup isn’t very lucky for turtles, either!

The Chinese do not sweep during the New Years because if one does so he will sweep away all the good fortune. Hence the sweeping on the New Year is to be done the day previous.  I really wish people would get that, and not complain about my dusty apartment!

May your bags only be filled with treats and fortunes!  Happy Halloween!

Humbly submitted for your consumption,

—Mee Magnum  (“Chop!  Chop!”)