Superstition – Chinese

Nationality: Chinese
Age: 54
Occupation: Engineer
Residence: Irvine, CA
Performance Date: April 26, 2008
Primary Language: Chinese
Language: English

Chinese Superstition

“Uncle Joe bought a carving of a Chinese dragon-horse.  This Chinese dragon-horse, a scared animal that looks fierce and is suppose to be a good warrior, was carved out a special stone from somewhere remote China.  This object is supposed to scare the evil away and bring good luck.  Uncle Joe put it in his apartment and his family began to feel uncomfortable, like headaches and feeling not relaxed and too tense.  Finally, they brought in a person who is believed to have the ability to communicate with the supernatural.  That person identified that the Chinese dragon-horse was too mean and too strong.  He told Uncle Joe to wash the carving in warm water.  When Uncle Joe rinsed the dragon-horse, the water turned red, indicating that the dragon-horse was bloody, meaning it had killed a lot already.  After the dragon-horse was watched and put back in the apartment, the apartment felt more pleasant to live in.”

My dad told me this Feng Shui story.  Uncle Joe, who lives in Beijing, China, is a good, longtime friend of my dad.

The Chinese dragon-horse is a folk object.  It is hand carved from a single stone, which is usually a precious, special stone, although the Chinese dragon-horses do not have to be carved from the same type of stone.  Each Chinese dragon-horse is unique because each one is carved from a different stone, has a different shape, and has its own unique details.  These items serve the same physiological purpose as guard dogs, except the dragon-horses are inanimate objects. The reliance on the dragon-horses for protection demonstrates how greatly the Chinese believe in supernatural powers.

This story demonstrates how popular Feng Shui is, especially among the Chinese and is an important aspect of the Chinese culture.  The belief in supernatural power plays a very large role in the Chinese culture.  Uncle Joe’s story shows how Feng Shui is very key when it comes to someone’s home.  It is important that one’s home has good, positive energy because the energy in the atmosphere affects the lives of the people in the household.  Since the Chinese dragon-horse’s spirit was too strong, it had a negative impact on Uncle Joe and his family.  However, once they bathed the Chinese dragon-horse and reduced the strength of the spirit, the environment at Uncle Joe’s home became more comfortable.  Uncle Joe’s story is an example of the Chinese’s belief in achieving harmony and balance.  Feng Shui is so important that it is incorporated into building and buying homes, and also the decorating of the house.