The recirculation of nine taboos are old tales that seek to impart to children knowledge of acceptable behavior, folklore specialist and fengshui master Liao Ta-yi (廖大乙) said on Tuesday.
The taboos have been posted on several Facebook fan pages linked to Nantou County ahead of Tomb Sweeping Day today.
The list includes: Do not hang clothes out to dry at night; do not point at the moon — at the risk of having your ear being cut off; do not watch people bathing — at the risk of inflammation of the eyelid; do not cut your nails at night — at the risk of shortening your parents’ lives; and do not write your name in red ink — at the risk of shortening your own lifespan, Lai said.
Photo: CNA
The others are: Do not brush your hair in front of a mirror at midnight — at the risk seeing your significant other in the reflection; be careful of the length you hold your chopsticks, as it will determine your distance from home when you marry; those fond of eating chicken feet are prone to ripping books; and whistling at night attracts ghosts, Lai added.
The tale about losing an ear when pointing to the moon is meant to teach children that it is rude to point at others — much less the deified figure of the moon — as the gesture is generally associated with criticism and arguments, Lai said.
Most of the other taboos impart similar meanings and are meant to encourage regular and good habits, Lai added.
As for Tomb Sweeping Day, people should try to finish tomb sweeping before 4pm and should refrain from wearing bright clothing, Lai said.
As the pronunciation of the word “shoe” in Chinese, xie (鞋), is homonymous with the word for wicked, people should not wear or purchase new shoes on Tomb Sweeping Day, Lai said.
People can decide for themselves how much stock they put in such taboos, Lai said, noting that observing some if not all customs or taboos as a sign respect for ancestors.
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