Pointing at the moon? Sharing pears? Four common Chinese superstitions explained
News of a Shanghai kindergartener left at the wrong school by his uncle prompted some to joke the boy ought to exact revenge on his careless relative by getting a haircut next Spring Festival, traditionally believed to be a fatal curse upon one’s mother’s brothers.
Growing up in the countryside, I was “instructed” by relatives and other elders with various dos and don’ts, which I generally obeyed, despite sometimes wondering whether there was a shred of truth to them. Looking back, I’ve been able to discover possible origins for the some of the strangest folk beliefs in rural China.