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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.

1. Same, same but different

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author Tan Yunfei (谭云飞)

Tan Yunfei is the editorial director of The World of Chinese. She reports on Chinese language, food, traditions, and society. Having grown up in a rural community and mainly lived in the cities since college, she tries to explore and better understand China's evolving rural and urban life with all readers.

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