![]() Meat is not eaten out of respect for Buddhist gods, as all gods are believed to be out meeting and wishing a happy New Year to each other. People don't eat porridge during Chinese New Year because they don't want to start off the year "poor". Rich porridge - or congee - was traditionally considered something only poor people have for breakfast. It's also believed that water symbolises wealth, so pouring away water after washing clothes is like pouring your wealth away. Washing clothes, therefore, is seen as as disrespect to the god of water. Similarly, taking out garbage is seen as dumping the good luck or good fortune from the house.ĭon't wash your clothes on the first and second day of the new year, as these two days are celebrated as the birthday of the water god. ![]() Sweeping on New Year's Day is thought to be like sweeping wealth away. However, in recent times, it's become increasingly popular to get a haircut before Chinese New Year for a new look (new ‘wealth’) in the coming year. Haircuts are always avoided because there's a belief that it brings bad luck to your uncles. ![]() So it's not seen as a good thing to wash your hair during the New Year as this is seen as washing away one's fortune. The word 'hair' in Mandarin Chinese has the same pronunciation as the phrase 'to become wealthy'. In some places, after announcing the New Year at midnight, sick people break medicine pots following a custom that believes this drives away illnesses in the coming year. If they do it's believed they will be ill for the whole year. It's considered taboo for a person to brew herbal medicine or take medicine on the first day of the lunar year.
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