Getting Lucky the Asian Way
For centuries, superstitions and belief in rituals have raked worldly societies, none more so than throughout Asian countries. From temples, statues, fountains, and natural wonders to specific traditions and ornaments, Asians (and visitors) continually search for the luckiest places and customs to ensure their lives are filled with health, wealth, and happiness.
While most Western nations feel each place or ritual is no more than a long-held superstition, many still find themselves reading books and delving further into the beliefs and processes, especially Feng Shui and New Year traditions.
As the closing of another Western year approaches, and Chinese New Year follows within a few weeks, whether you believe in these or not, the following list will give an insight into this mystical world and perhaps why they continue to be a considerable influence on society.
JAPAN
There are thousands of Shinto shrines across Japan to Inari, the god of rice. If you want to bring in good business, a bountiful harvest, wealth, and prosperity, pray here along with merchants, manufacturers, and the locals. The most famous Inari shrine is the stunningly beautiful Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, built in 711 AD. The numerous orange and black torii gates around the site are additional donations made in the hope of tremendous success and wealth. Each one costs anything from 400,000 to a million yen.
A woman strolls through the torii gates at the Fushimi Inari Taisah shrine.
Imamiya-Ebisu Jinja Shrine in Osaka is another site honouring business success, good health, wealth, and happiness. Ebisu is the god of safe sailing and is worshipped by fishermen and millions of people annually. The most prosperous time is during the Toka Ebisu Festival in early January when you can purchase a bamboo branch adorned with good fortune symbols such as gold coins, rice bales or sea bream to enhance your chances of good luck.
Shichifukujin means a group of seven deities – Hotei, Jurojin, Ebisu, Benzaiten, Diakokuten, Fukurokuju and Bishamonten – that bring good fortune in Japan. Purchasing any or all at a temple or shrine is a perfect first good luck experience for international tourists.
Often seen in retail stores and restaurants near or on cash registers, the adorable maneki neko statue or waving cat ushers in good fortune. Maneki means ‘beckoning’ or ‘welcoming’, and neko means ‘cat’. If its left hand is raised, it attracts more customers, and a waving right hand brings good luck and success to the business.
Kumade are decorative rakes adorned with various good luck ornaments like koban, an oval gold coin for money and fortune, and owls (fukurou) for happiness and no suffering. Purchasing kumade before the end of the year means you’ll rake in loads of success, good luck, and wealth in the coming year.
Different sized maneki neko ornaments on sale for the Japanese new year.
Unlike other Asian nations, the Japanese celebrate New Year on the same day as the Western world. However, it’s a more solemn affair with no fireworks or countdown parties, but if you wish to participate, these cultural do’s should bring forth prosperous times.
At the entrance to your home, place kadomatsu (three different lengths of bamboo poles) for prosperity, pine for longevity and plum branches for steadfastness. Above the door hang shimekazari (straw rope), bitter orange and pine (for wealth) to banish evil spirits and welcome Shinto deities.
Place two rounds of mochi cakes topped with an orange on the Shinto altar for the God Kagami to bring you a good and prosperous new year.
Eat the traditional Japanese noodle toshikoshi-soba an hour before the New Year to cut off all the past year’s issues while wishing for a beautiful new year.
Kadomatsu bamboo poles are placed at doorways to bring prosperity.
Make your first shrine visit within the first week of January. Called hatsumode, praying will bring you good health, safety and prosperity in the year ahead.
During the New Year, give children money (otoshidama) in decorated small envelopes (pochibukuro).
SOUTH KOREA
A significant ritual in South Korea is predicting a child’s future on their first birthday. The traditionally dressed child is placed on the floor surrounded by an assortment of items (book for scholar, stethoscope a doctor, a ball for athletics, a microphone for an entertainer etc). Called doljabi, the thing the child first grabs will determine their career path.
Silk bags of money are given to younger Koreans for good fortune.
Like most Asian nations, Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year) is family holiday time, with most returning to their hometowns to visit parents and relatives and performing charye (ancestral ritual) on the first day of the New Year. They wear traditional hanboks and share traditional foods, tteok-guk, a traditional rice cake soup and drinks. Younger ones perform Sebae to the older generation and are given Sebaetdon (New Year’s money) in small silk bags afterwards for good health and good fortune.
HONG KONG
If you want a happy marriage or a baby (or both), visit Lovers Rock on Bowen Road. It’s 32 feet high and is said to be a Japanese soldier and his Chinese woman lover who ran away to Hong Kong when their families opposed the union. Today, the stone also protects lovers.
In Tai Po Village in Hong Kong’s New Territories, there’s a tree beside Tin Hau Temple. It’s a Wishing Tree. Write down your boldest wishes or whatever you desire on brightly coloured paper and toss them into the tree. Your wish will come true if it gets entangled in the tree’s branches.
People throwing their wishes into Hong Kong’s Wishing Tree.
Wong Tai Sin was a famous 4th Century monk and later a deity. His Wong Tai Sin Temple is home to Taoists, Confucianists and Buddhists. People from all over the world pray for divine guidance and good fortune. Make a wish here, and it’s set to come true.
Hong Kong is also home to the 34-metre-high bronze Big Buddha. It sits on a lotus throne majestically facing north overlooking mainland China atop Mount Muk Yue peak on Lantau Island. Reached by ascending 268 steps, its raised right-hand offers blessings to the people. There are three halls over three levels below the Tian Tan statue.
TAIWAN
Still, looking for ‘The One’? Head to Taipei’s Xai-Hai City God Temple. Follow a sequence of rituals from sugar offerings for the gods, lighting incense to eating wedding cookies and sipping sweet tea. Then receive a small, embroidered pouch to carry until your wedding night. Inside there’s a paper with your wish and a tiny Buddha.
Another way to make your dreams come true is to visit Pingxi, an hour from Taipei. Here you pick a colourful lantern, add your written wishes, and launch the fiery, diamond-shaped lantern from Shifen Old Street. Good luck!
VIETNAM
Vietnam celebrates their Tet Nguyen Dan New Year at the same time as Chinese New Year. The people clean their houses, worship ancestors, cook special foods like sticky rice, nem, banh chung and dried bamboo soup, and visit a temple to pray for a safe and happy new year. Don’t break any glasses or dishes, or you’ll have a broken year!
Banh chung is a traditional food cooked for the Vietnamese new year.
Doing these things will also bring in more good fortune:
Give anything six (loc, sounds like luck) or eight (phat – prosperity) related. As well as loads of happy (genuine) smiles, greetings at this time include: Chuc Mung Nam Moi – Happy New Year, Van su nhu y - may everything go as you wish and An khang thinh vuong - wishing you peace, good health and prosperity. Also, dress in bright, colourful clothing for a glorious future.
Ensure all your debts are paid before the last day of the old year. Inside a red envelope, place a new, clean note for children and older people. Don’t forget to wish them health and happiness.
LAOS
Named after a famed Buddha from Cambodia who supposedly rested here, Luang Prabang, in north central Laos, has many monasteries and temples. A beautiful, prime city on the Silk Road, it’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its prosperous religious and trade history is said to bring good luck to many who visit and absorb the surroundings.
SINGAPORE
Take a break from all that shopping in Singapore and regain your energy at the Suntec City’s Fountain of Wealth by simply touching the waters. The bronze ring was designed on the Hindu mandala (universe). Back in 1998 it was recognised as the then World’s Largest Fountain by the Guinness Book of World Records.
The Fountain of Wealth in Singapore’s Suntec City.
Just bought a new house? Do as the Chinese do in Singapore, before stepping across the doorway, roll a pineapple into the house and shout a Hokkien phrase, ‘huat ah!’ meaning to prosper. Pineapples symbolise good luck in Chinese culture because the Chinese word for pineapple sounds like the phrase ‘luck coming your way’. But don’t eat the pineapple afterwards. To symbolise the continuation of prosperity, leave it under a tree.
THAILAND
Erawan Shrine in Bangkok was originally built to protect construction workers during the building of the Grand Hyatt Erawan in 1956. The construction starting date was unfavourable, and there were many delays, misfortunes and even deaths until the shrine to Brahma (the Hindu god of creation) was erected by the hotel contractor. Everything settled down, and the hotel has prospered since. The shrine continues to bring good fortune and protection and is visited by many locals and tourists daily who light incense, make their wishes and pray each day. Dancers also perform regularly.
Thailand celebrates Songkran New Year in the Buddhist calendar, usually around April. It’s the Thai people’s most significant festival. As well as the rich traditions of temple visits, food offerings for the monks, cleaning Buddha statues and paying respect to the elders by pouring scent water over their hands, Songkran is known as the water festival.
Songkran washes away evil actions and thoughts of the old year and brings good luck for the new year. Today, locals and visitors spend days splashing water on each other in the streets. It has become the most prominent water fight in the world. But don’t forget there are still a few new year rules.
Thai locals splash water over themselves during the Songkran festival.
To ensure you have a wonderful new year in Thailand, wish everyone ‘Sawasdee Pee Mai’ - Happy New Year. Wear a swimsuit under your clothing to not reveal too much of yourself when wet. Forget the shoes. Sandals or flip-flops are more practical on damp ground. Use only small water buckets or water guns, and don’t splash monks, babies, the elderly, or motorcyclists. And don’t get too drunk!
INDIA
The principal goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity in Hinduism is Lakshmi. She has four hands that represent the four aspects of Hindu belief in human life. They are dharma, kama, artha, and moksha, which relate to the essence, goal, sense and purpose of life and include security, career and financial prosperity.
Lakshmi has a total of eight manifestations, from gold coins, the lotus flower, to elephants, food for the gods and even a swastika which was a Hindu religious good luck symbol way before the Nazi party adopted it.
TURKEY
Not feeling the best and need healing? Stick your thumb into the Weeping Column inside Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. If it’s damp when you remove it, you will heal.
CHINA
If you’re after a successful career, climb to the top of Huangshan (6,115ft Yellow Mountain) in Anhui Province and rub the stone placed there by the Chinese goddess Nuwa. If you go there with your lover, you’ll also be granted, eternal love.
Want to achieve academically? Head to Mt Emei in Sichuan Province and rub the backside of Samantabhadra’s (a bodhisattva enlightened being) six-tusked elephant.
For happiness and to rid all intolerable things, rub the ginormous belly of the Laughing Buddha located at Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou.
Many tourists visit the Lingyin Temple to rub the Buddha belly.
Huanglong, set in the Min Shan Mountain Range, has many alluring attractions. Hot springs and glaciers to the majestic Huanglong Temple, home of the Sichuan (yellow dragon, the most powerful Chinese Zodiac symbol) and the now endangered golden Sichuan (a snub-nosed monkey) whose fur wards off rheumatism. Giant Pandas, China’s national treasure, also live here. What more do you need to put a smile on your face?
Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is China’s biggest and most significant festival. To ensure all your most reverent desires materialise, follow these simple rules:
Eat a bowl of dumplings. They are shaped like gold pieces and bring wealth for the coming year.
Rid any bad luck by ensuring every inch of your home is sparkling before midnight on Lunar New Year’s Eve.
Eating dumplings for Chinese New Year is supposed to bring wealth.
Red is a sign of happiness and good fortune. Decorate your home and yourself in bright reds.
To ensure all things are good for the new year, don’t wear any damaged clothing, don’t wash your hair, don’t eat porridge for your first new year breakfast, don’t buy any new books until 15 days into the new year and if you’re married wait until the second day of the new year to visit your parents and in-laws.
Wishing everyone the healthiest, wealthiest, and happiest coming new year.
Header image: © John Stocker. All other images: © Nannette Holliday
