Text/Interview:

DS: “Yeah, according to my mom, it’s bad luck to kiss or hug underneath a doorframe. I’m not quite sure why this is, but I remember my mom told me it’s an old Chinese tradition.”

Context:

DS is a Chinese American who has lived in the United States his entire life. His grandmother lived in China and passed down many of her cultural traditions to her daughter. In turn, the daughter passed down these traditions to DS. According to DS, everyone in his family believes that kissing under a doorframe is bad luck. He does not believe in the superstition; however, he still lives by it. In his words, “Even though I think it’s silly, I still live by this superstition as it ties me to my family”.

My Interpretation:

Personally, I find this to be very interesting. Doorframes are a liminal space between two places. Liminality is often linked to magic and otherworldliness. I feel like the superstition may be tethered to that. Interestingly, when I first heard this, my mind immediately turned to mistletoe and how the West almost encourages kissing in doorframes. It is very interesting that there is a break between the two cultural ideologies on this subject. Although I do not believe in this superstition, I think the fact that DS still lives by it shows the power superstitions have in creating a sense of community.