Chinese superstition and the Olympic Games

We all know how surperstitous the Chinese are, so the blog post on Sky News about them linking the recent disasters to the Olympic mascots didn't surprise me at all. Have to admit, it's a freaky co-incidence so let's hope nothing else bad happens in China in the run up to the games. Personally, I don't hold much belief in the numerous Chinese superstitions as if I did, I'd never shake my leg while eating (you shake all your good luck/money out), wash my hair at Chinese new year or sweep or clean the house (you sweep away all the good luck), order 4 of anything (4 is associated with death as it sounds similar), the list goes on and on and on... but it's interesting how all the bad happenings are even making them question the luck of their auspicious number 8! Have to say, I did look up what other Chinese superstitions are out there and some I've never heard of! Some of the funnier ones I found were:

• If you strike an animal during pregnancy, the newborn child will look like that animal and behave like one.
• Clipping toenails or fingernails at night is bad luck; the person will be visited by a ghost.
• If a man's ears burn between 11pm and 1pm, there will be harmony between him and his wife; if they burn between 1 and 3 in the afternoon, a guest will soon arrive.
• Never point at the moon or your ears might get chopped off.

By Peter Sharp, Sky News China correspondent

They are the most superstitious people on the planet. Perhaps it's the absence of organised religion, but the Chinese are quick to link natural disasters, accidents and violence to a combination of divine intervention and heavenly anger.

Now China's online soothsayers are linking Beijing's Olympic mascots to a string of misfortunes in the run-up to the Games.

Four out of the five "fuwas" - literally friendly toys - are being tied in to the natural and human disasters visited on China during the turbulent build-up.

Jingjing - the Panda - an animal closely associated with Sichuan Province, epicentre of last month's terrible quake.

Huanhuan - the Olympic torch - the round the world torch relay was a PR disaster of awesome proportions.

Yingying - the Antelope - native to Tibet, the location of the March riots and the military crackdown.

Nini - the Kite - the kite city of Weifang is located in Shandong, scene of April's deadly train crash that killed 72 people.

Beibei - the Fish - a Chinese sturgeon found only in the Yangtze River. Is this the location for China's next major disaster, ask cyberspace doom merchants.

"The scariest part of the message is the question it raised," said website editor Chen Wei after seeing the postings.

"You never know what Beibei (the sturgeon) heralds. In other words the worst may be yet to come. I won't say I believe it, but I do feel a little worried about the unknown."

Now there is also concern about the number eight. It's supposed to be a lucky number. So much so that China's Olympic Organisers have chosen August 8, 2008 as the opening date for the Games.

But the online doom and gloomers point out that this year's snowstorm, the worst in a century, struck on 25/01 and if the numbers are added up they total eight. The same applies to the date of the Tibetan riots 14/03 and the earthquake 12/05.

The website reports: "The conclusion: counter to conventional wisdom, eight brings bad luck and untold disaster is in store for August 8, 2008. The very date chosen for the Olympic Opening Ceremony because of its supposed auspiciousness."

Oh-Oh!

Watch this space.