Though seldom practised and not given much thought among the Internet-savvy generation of today, taboos and superstitions associated with the Chinese New Year in Malaysia are pretty much alive. Let’s take a look at some that get carried out.
Luo di kaihua (literal translation : flower blooms when it drops) is what one should say if something is dropped and gets broken, for the sake of turning bad luck into good fortune.
Some insist that the pair of chopsticks used during the Reunion Dinner should be of equal length, or you risk missing the boat, bus, flight and so on when you travel.
The entire house should be spick and span right before the New Year starts. No cleaning whatsoever should be done on New Year’s Day, lest any sweeping or light brushing would chase the great fortunes away. Some even go to great lengths to hide or throw away brooms, mops, feather dusters and such just to be on the safe side.
Other `popular’ Chinese New Year superstitions in Malaysia include:
• No mentioning about past years; it’s time to start anew.
• No telling of ghost stories, or discussing anything related to death.
• No crying, as one would end up crying often the whole year.
• No utterances of any swear words or foul language.
