Comments on: U.S. Chinese Wed Despite Widow Year http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/some_us_chinese_wed_despite_widow_year/ Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:53:54 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Simon http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/some_us_chinese_wed_despite_widow_year/comment-page-1/#comment-48781 Simon Tue, 14 Jun 2005 03:14:49 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/10940#comment-48781 Calling it "idiotic" is too harsh. There are plenty of "Western" superstitions that are "idiotic" that still have plenty of followers: Friday 13th to name an obvious one. That aside you'll find even in mainland China there are plenty of couples getting married despite the omens for this year. There was a flurry of marriages just prior to Chinese New Year but otherwise the numbers have been running in line with previous years and population growth. Calling it "idiotic" is too harsh. There are plenty of "Western" superstitions that are "idiotic" that still have plenty of followers: Friday 13th to name an obvious one.

That aside you'll find even in mainland China there are plenty of couples getting married despite the omens for this year. There was a flurry of marriages just prior to Chinese New Year but otherwise the numbers have been running in line with previous years and population growth.

]]> By: DC Loser http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/some_us_chinese_wed_despite_widow_year/comment-page-1/#comment-48666 DC Loser Mon, 13 Jun 2005 11:47:46 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/10940#comment-48666 This is a good sign, but Chinese numerology is still going strong in the numbering of houses in affluent Chinese American neighborhoods in California and other places. The number 4 sounds like the word for death in both Mandarin and Cantonese, and so that's generally avoided in houses ending in 4. But the combintation of 54 is good luck since that sounds like "will not die" in Cantonese. The home builders have resorted to some very creative house numbering schemes in these areas. This is a good sign, but Chinese numerology is still going strong in the numbering of houses in affluent Chinese American neighborhoods in California and other places. The number 4 sounds like the word for death in both Mandarin and Cantonese, and so that's generally avoided in houses ending in 4. But the combintation of 54 is good luck since that sounds like "will not die" in Cantonese. The home builders have resorted to some very creative house numbering schemes in these areas.

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