Chinese superstition runs on puns - the language's dense homophones make sounds themselves lucky or cursed. Knowing the logic, the rules memorize themselves.
The numbers
- 4 四 (sì) sounds like 死 death: floors, phone numbers and license plates skip it; buildings omit the 4th floor outright.
- 8 八 (bā) sounds like 发 prosper: plates and numbers with 8s sell at a premium; 2008-08-08 opened the Beijing Olympics.
- 6 六 = smooth （溜-sounding); 9 九 = long-lasting （久）; 520 = 我爱你-sounding and launched an internet Valentine's day.
The gift taboos
- Clocks 钟 - 送钟 "give a clock" puns on 送终 "attend a funeral". Never.
- Umbrellas 伞 - 送伞 puns on 散 "disperse" - breaks up friendships.
- Pears 梨 - 分梨 "split a pear" puns on 分离 "separate" - do not share a pear with a partner.
- Shoes 鞋 - sounds like 邪 (evil) in some readings, and implies walking away.
The rest of the air
White is mourning's color; red is celebration's (brides wear red, red envelopes carry money). Chopsticks upright in rice imitate funeral incense. New Year taboos include sweeping on day one (sweeps out luck) and saying unlucky words （死， 破， 输）. The folklore pills collect the stories these rules grew from.
Common questions
Why is 4 unlucky in China?
四 sì sounds like 死 sǐ (death) - same syllable, different tone. The taboo is strong enough that buildings skip the 4th floor and phone numbers avoid it.
Why is 8 lucky in China?
八 bā sounds like 发 fā as in 发财 (prosper). License plates and phone numbers with 8s sell at premiums; the 2008 Olympics opened 8/8/08 at 8pm.
What gifts are unlucky in China?
Clocks (送钟 puns on attending a funeral), umbrellas (散 separation), pears shared with a partner (分离), and shoes - all homophone taboos.