Spooky Superstitions: Japan, India, Thailand
Have you ever felt horrified seeing a black cat crossing your path because someone told you so. It seems so silly but don’t laugh just yet.
Superstition is any belief or practice that is considered supernatural or irrational. They sometimes might seem to be nonsense from a scientific point of view, but they are still important parts of any culture. So let's travel to different countries and see what kind of superstitions they have!
Japan
Japan is well-known for the superstitions that are believed by its people. Many superstitions are based on animism, where a non-human living thing, such as animals and plants, are believed to have spirits. Here we go!
Don't cut your nails at night
It was believed that cutting tools (like fingernail clippers) had spiritual power, known as reiryoku in Japanese, that could divert evil. At the same time, cutting instruments created a gap in whatever they cut which allowed evil spirits to enter through the gap if it was used at night. Although this superstition is not popular nowadays, try to keep the lights on while cutting your nails.
Don't use red ink for writing
If you write a person’s name in a red ink, it might seem rude. Red ink suggests that person will die soon. It is because the red ink used in tombstone.
If you see a spider at night, kill it
If you see a spider during the day, that's fine, but if you see it at night, kill it. It means bad luck for you.
India
From breaking mirrors to hanging lemon and chilies, India is a country of diverse culture and tradition, as well as of a lot of superstitions.
Hang lemon and 7 green chilies
It is believed in India that Alakshmi, the goddess of misfortune can bring bad luck to the shop owners or business. She likes sour and hot things so shop owners in India hang lemon and 7 green chilies at their door so that the goddess can eat her favourite food, satisfy her hunger and leave without entering the shop.
Don't break a mirror
Romans believe that it takes 7 years for a life to renew itself. So, the image of a person, who does not have a good health, will break the mirror and after 7 years, his life will renew itself and he'll be in good health.
Wear gemstones for good fortune
In India, wearing gemstones brings good luck. Indians who can afford to buy these trinkets can probably rest assured that no tragedy will ever strike them.
Thailand
Superstitions in Thailand involve ghosts or bad luck and while some are referred to in good humour others are simply stated as fact.
If you hear a gecko, stay at home
If you hear a gecko before you leave your home, it is considered a warning sign that something bad will happen and you should, therefore, stay at home.
Don't call a baby cute
If you call a baby cute it will be taken away by a ghost. It is also believed that if a pregnant woman attends a funeral her baby will be haunted by the spirit of a dead person once it is born.
Don't get a haircut on Wednesday
Most hairdressers are closed on a Wednesday. It is considered a bad luck. This belief originated from members of the royal family having their hair cut on a Wednesday and therefore common people were prohibited to do so.
So, what superstitions do you have in your country, in your culture?
We'll be glad if you share with us!
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