Chinese Number Luck
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Read MoreIn China, It’s All About the Numbers
Why are the Chinese so attracted to numbers? Do they hold the key to ancient secrets or are they merely an odd fixation? The Chinese believe that some numbers are lucky and some aren’t, as do their counterparts throughout the world.
The difference is that lucky numbers are a big industry in China where people can actually select their own phone numbers, license plates, and other random things, which is an expensive, as well as lucky, purchase.
In China, numbers are often integrated with sounds and have associative meanings. For example, the number eight is considered the luckiest number of all because it is pronounced “ba” which sounds like “fa,” the Chinese word for prosperity.
House numbers and telephone numbers containing the number eight are extremely sought after, and it is no coincidence that the Beijing Olympics began on 08/08/2008 at 8pm.
4 In China, Its All About the Numbers pictureConversely, the number four is considered bad luck because it is pronounced “si” which is similar to the Chinese word for death.
When ordering dishes in a Chinese restaurant, the courses are usually even-numbered, such as four, six, eight, etc. It is also customary if a guest visits a home bearing a gift of fruit the number will be even.
When buying apartments in China, those that are on even numbered floors are always the first to sell out. The fourth floor, on the other hand, is usually the cheapest, and usually foreigners, oblivious to the number’s connotations, occupy it.
6 In China, Its All About the Numbers pictureThe number six is considered very lucky, because the pronunciation sounds like the word for ‘flow’, suggesting that everything will go very smoothly. The car license plate ‘AC6688’ recently sold for 80,000Y ($11,700 US dollars).
The number two is lucky as well, because it suggests harmonious existence and reproduction.
Some odd numbers are also considered favorable. Five is very significant because it relates to the five elements of Feng Shui (metal, wood, water, fire and earth), the five basic colors (red, green, yellow, black and white) and the five tastes (sweet, sour, salty bitter and pungent).
1 In China, Its All About the Numbers pictureThe number one is favored by young lovers and is exemplified in the Chinese idiom, “one heart and one soul.” A man will usually send one flower to his beloved to express undivided love or he may send nine (jiu), which is a homonym for the word denoting forever.
The number seven has experienced a bit of a renaissance as it was traditionally associated with anger. In recent years it has become more acceptable as it sounds a little bit like the words for ‘wife’ or ‘family’.
What’s in a number?
Who can say, but do YOU dare to find out?
Forest for the Trees
Did you know that there is a direct correlation between how far you can see and the opportunities that come your way? I recently visited a home perched on a hillside in California, surrounded by tall trees. Whether on the deck or in a bedroom, the effect was like living in a tree house even though there was a spectacular view on the other side of the trees. As it turned out, the homeowner was experiencing some financial and career challenges. She had spread herself too thin by taking on several jobs, which squeezed out what she really wanted to do. It was a classic case of not seeing the forest for the trees.
The homeowner loved trees and was reluctant to cut down one or two to open up her vista. But when she came to understand that the trees were actually blocking chi (life-giving energy)–and opportunities– from flowing into her life, she compromised by agreeing to cut out a swathe to open up her view.
What about your view? If you’re working in an office without a view, display a photo or picture with a view far into the distance to broaden your world. You may notice that you’re becoming clear about questions you’ve been pondering or that new opportunities are presenting themselves. Perhaps they’ve been there all along and you just didn’t see them.
Alumni Consultant Melissa Cook, NY
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Q & A – Bagua Mirrors and Neighbors
Q. The neighbor behind our home can see directly into our sunroom. I read that a bagua mirror is a good cure for this. Does the size of the mirror matter? Should it be a concave or convex mirror. I also read that it cannot go in the room. Do I have to hang it on the roof or can I hang it on top of the sunroom; on the roof ledge?
-Thank you, Liliana R.
Read MoreThe Organized Life
Create homes with breathing room. The places where you keep your things need to have extra space so they can hold a few extra things every now and then. In your candle drawer, for instance, keep space aside for a few more candles and candleholders. When a renovation is imminent, put the extras in their “homes” and reduce your stress at both ends of the renovation: at the start when you to store things away, and at the end when you re-assemble your space.
Thanks to WSFS Alumni Ann B. Gallops from The Organized Life ann@theorganizedlife.net
Read MoreQ & A – Bedroom in Health Area
Q. Our master bedroom resides in the Health and Family area. How can I set it up so that it’s warm and sensual for my wife and I, and still bring out the H&F part of it?
A. You’ll find lots of suggestions for enhancing the Health & Family area that’s in your master bedroom on page 40 and 185 in the Western Guide to Feng Shui, Room by Room book. Just keep your enhancements soft and romantic so that they harmonize with a restful bedroom atmosphere. Love, Terah
Read MoreQ & A – Missing Upstairs Bagua
Q. If your ground floor has a screened patio, but there are no rooms in that area on the second floor, do you have to treat the second floor as having missing areas? If so, how?
A. This is FAQ that I address in all my books. The Bagua Map can only be missing areas on the main floor of your home, so you are NOT missing an area upstairs. Phew!
You may choose to read more about this in the Western Guide to Feng Shui, pgs. 61-75, or the Western Guide to Feng Shui, Room by Room, pgs. 23-40.
Terah
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