Shoes again!
A sweet young lady posted me this question, "Do you know how to prevent blisters from new shoes?"
I told her to bite it! Oh yes, I mean to actually sink your teeth into it. Try not to leave teeth marks though; such a pity to spoil a nice, new pair of shoes. In Singapore, Chinese likes to use the phase “bitten by our shoes” ("被鞋咬" direct translation) to mean having blisters from their shoes. The remedy is to bite the shoes before it bites you. It does work too if you apply this “tactic” after you were bitten, however, the taste of a pair of worn shoes differs from that of a new pair. It’s strange but true, and I don’t just mean the taste.
To my “knowledge”, it doesn’t matters who, the set of teeth belong to. So, husbands and boyfriends out there, if you want to prove your undying love, you can start by helping your wives or girlfriends to nibble their shoes. A word of caution, do not go to your pet dogs for help, they usually love the taste of it so much that they will chew the whole shoes to bits.
Bon Appétit!
Do not attend weddings or funeral months B4 your own wedding
Do not attend another person’s weddings or funeral if you are having a wedding that is just round the corner. The suggested timeline is generally around 3 month. Some slightly more modern elders will suggest 1 month or so. Hee… The guideline is quite simple; if you have very pantang parents, in-laws, or your friend’s family is very pantang, then do not attend. They believe it will bring bad luck to both parties. Something about “clashing” luck ("相冲"). ;) We must respect our elderly, try not to do things that make them uncomfortable. ok?
PS. Usually the young and trendy Singaporean will still attend. They just make sure their elderly isn't aware of it. So make sure all your friends keep silent about your wedding plans when they are there. Opps! I hope they (the older ones) are not going to read this blog.
Some taboos from the movie
I finally watched the movie "The Maid". It wasn't that scary, had my eyes closed tight for only about a quarter of the show. This is the first time I voluntarily went to check out a horror movie after so many years, I can't say if it is good or bad but my favorite is still "Six Sense". (I didn't realize that movie was so disturbing and I didn’t sleep well for a week!)
Ok, a few things from the show:
1. Do not sit in the first row of a Wayang show.
Usually the first row is reserve for the ghosts. By sitting on it, you either took up their seat and make them angry, or even worse, you sat on them! Seriously, it’s very difficult to find a
Wayang show nowadays, so how will our ghostly friends find entertainment? Is it because we have been burning tons of personal entertainment system to them? Or would they be going to the cinema instead? Maybe we should burn them some movie tickets of the latest blockbuster. But then cinema would have to start reserving front row seats for them and I am not too sure if this will be good for businesses.
2. Do not turn back when someone called you by your name (especially at night)Advise your friends to sms you instead. Wait… what if our ghostly friends are holding mobile phone too?
3. Do not hang clothes out at night.I thought this is a fengshui thing. Was told that clothes hang outside throughout the night absorbs lots of “ying” qi. This is not good for our health. The movie didn’t explain why this is not advisable in the lunar 7th month.
4. Do not let the shadow of a coffin falls on you.The movie says this will cause some really lousy luck.
5. Do not eat the offerings meant for the deceased
Oh well, how would you feel if strangers without your consent ate your plate of chicken rice? "Nobody" tells me that some businessman will share the offerings to be eaten after they finish praying. Knowing businessman, I am sure those are some pretty tasty offerings.
7th month taboos
Do not step on any of the offerings on the floor or what's left of the burnt incense and money paper. Do not step into the circle of ring (usually drawn using a white chalk). This is a practice to keep other spirits away from the offering except for the intended one. Do not go swimming in the sea and swimming pool because during this month, it is more "dangerous". (I believe the swimming pool was added only in the recent years)
Those doing businesses must observe the 7th month offerings to the “Hao Siong Di” ( "好兄弟" loosely translated as “Good brothers”). They will pray for smooth delivery process and seamless operation throughout the year. This is especially significant if their employees are working in very dangerous environments, it give them peace of mind and hopefully, helps them to be safer.
Don't simply throw tissue paper around
I got this from an email forwarded to me by a friend. I can't verify the source from this but then again, none of the pantang culture can be verified either. Enjoy.
hungry ghost's month is here so better don't play play (Mai Siao Siao) I've got 1 story to share, I got a bunch of friends living together as housemates during their campus days. One night they decided to go out for supper and went out driving 2 cars. Nothing happened during their way to supper, but after supper something spooky happened.
As I said they were driving 2 cars, 1 driving at the front of the other car. Some of my friends that are in the car in front start throwing out some tissue paper which has been torn into pieces out from the window just to "kacau" the friend's in the car behind.
Then my friend (with gifted eyes) sitting in the second car used his handphone to contact the friends in the car in front to stop throwing the papers and fortunately the friends in the front car finally stopped doing their stupid act.
They reached home safely and the housemates suspected the my friend is hiding something from them about the phone call because my friend also very well known with his gifted eyes. At first my friend didn't want to tell to his housemates what actually happened but after some persuasion, he finally told the reason.
He said, during their time throwing the pieces of tissue paper, he saw a lady in a red dress sitting on their car bonnet and a small little child jumping around the car roof. My friend said that maybe the tissue paper attracted that 2 things. Because according to some old chinese movie, people throwed some "passing road paper" during a funeral.
After his housemates listen to his explanation they start to worry and was scared. Then they asked him where did those things go ? Did they disappear after they stopped throwing the tissue ? My friend answer "no, I can stil see her outside of our house right now, she looks very angry staring into our house with the little child running around her"............but luckily nothing happened to them after that night.
so I advise you guys better don't simply throw any stuff from your car windows, especially at night...who knows you might get something special in return.
My friend says sharp object are only worth 10cents
As I was penning today’s topic on avoiding giving sharp objects as gifts, a good friend who prefer to be known as “Nobody”, gave me this advise, “
if wan 2 give, need tt person to pay u pay 10cents!”. I LOL and ROTF (Acronym for “laugh out loud”, and “roll on the floor”). Looks like sharp objects ain’t worth much, at least a clock is worth a dollar. Hee…
This particular pantang practice is one of the first taboos I break and had actually suffered for it. I believe I was still in primary school when I had to buy a birthday gift for an older friend, one that I really admire and look up to. Even at that tender age, I believe in buying practical birthday gifts and I chose a set of Mathematical Instrument for him. The box contained a compass for drawing circles, which as we know has a sharp end on its leg. When my friend and I started to drift apart, I was miserable. Coincidentally a classmate’s birthday was coming up and I went with the others to buy her a gift. When I suggest a Mathematical Instrument set, I was told that the sharp pointed end of the compass might affect our friendship. It dwell on me that maybe this was what causes my friend and I to drift. That is one of the saddest memories of my childhood; the first time I lost a friend.
Below is a picture of a Mathematical Instrument Set similar to what I have given him. Look at the number of sharp edges these has!
Socks and Ex-Collegues
Surprise Surprise! Remember my previous article “
We can't buy shoes as gifts either!”? Well, as I was cleaning out my bookshelves (
I always seems to be doing spring cleaning, ya?), I found an old Christmas list stating which gifts are for which group of ex-colleagues. Back then when I was much younger, I enjoy personalizing my gifts by adding specially packed goodie bag. That year, I bought adorable baby socks and stuffed candies in them. I also did some other style of goodie bags. On my list, I stated which ex-colleagues would get the sock of candies. As I went through the list; I realize I am no longer in touch with any of them, only those that received the other form of goodie bags… *gulp*
Do not use old clothes as floor rags
A day ago, I've decided to clean out my husband's wardrobe and discard away those that he seldom wears as well as those that he has out-grown. We selected nearly half of what he has and began to sort them out. Those that are quite new and is still fashionable went to the
Salvation Army, those that were found with torn sleeves, holes or stains went to another bag to be thrown away. Now, some of you may wonder why we didn’t recycle those ruined ones and used them as cleaning rag or floor rags. Well, it seems that when we used our old clothes as floor rags, we literally get stepped on all over. If you find yourselves being taken advantage off very regularly, or that everyone you know simply has no respect for you. Check if your old clothes had been used to wipe everyone’s feet! Hee…
Actually my feet just prefer proper floor rags to old clothes especially those that still has buttons on them. Ouch! ;)
I am going to watch "The maid"!
It just crossed my mind that I need to go and watch the movie “The Maid”. How can an aspiring “Pantang” queen-to-be not watch a local movie whose theme is based on the 7th month taboo? My husband will be so happy to know this; he hasn’t been watching any horror movies since the day we met. Till now, I simply refuse to pay money and frighten myself silly. But for the greater good of documenting our knowledge on Singapore Pantang cultures, I shall support this local movie by visiting my nearest, friendly cinema (preferably one without scary The Maid images in the ladies toilet). *cold sweat*
(I hope it is alright for me to use this poster.... )
A plead to understand why we can’t give perfume as gifts?
I have received 2 comments so far that says we can’t give perfume as gifts. Please, does anyone know why? I have given perfume as gifts before, and now I am monitoring this friendship closely to make sure this pantang belief will not do any harm to our 13-year-old friendship!
…
13???!!!
Disclaimer: This picture is not download illegally or used without the owner’s permission. (Policeman will catch me if I did…) This is my own creation drawn on a piece of recycled paper. I am not an artist so this is the best I can do. :)
We can't buy shoes as gifts either!
It’s heartening to see my blog being visited by friends and new friends-to-be. Thank you! It’s even more encouraging to read your comments. Yup, I actually knew about the shoes too. In fact, I intent to talk about the peeves my then-boyfriend, now husband has. Let’s share our “bitter” experiences.
My then-boyfriend would refuse to go anywhere near the ladies’ shoes department with me. In fact, whenever he sees any shoes shop, he would steer me away as quickly as he can. When I had, I mean I really HAD to buy a new pair of shoes (I wanted a pair of shopping sandals, those sporty ones and work-wear ones don’t count), I was dropped off at a shopping mall, alone, do my purchase before he comes back to pick me up. I am not too sure if this taboo really works but this man manage to stick around for a long time, and now I am stuck, tight!
Recently i realise there are so many accessories in the shape of feet and shoes. It occur to me that this closely resembles the pantang thing on giving shoes as gift to our partners or friends. Giving them shoes usually means to give them a chance to slip away from us. So with all the key chains and handphone accessories in the shoe of a mini shoes with cute laces, shouldn’t they come with warning that the buyer should only consider these accessories for themselves. Do not buy these as gift to friends, especially your girlfriend or boyfriend, okie? Hm.... I wonder if this includes husband and wife as well?
Yes, we are afraid of breaking the mirror too!
It’s bad luck to break the mirror. 7 years in fact! This familiar superstition comes from the west. Singapore's history is so intertwine with the west that we even adopt their superstitions. Oh well, being kaisu means we have to make sure we cover all grounds. We sure could use the good luck with the amount of lottery tickets, 4D and toto my local countryman likes to buy.
A Clock for $1
A day before, my sisters and I found a shop in Plaza Singapura selling clocks for decorative purposes. The clocks came in all shapes and sizes, interesting styles and beautiful drawings. We were fascinated. But when I mention getting these clocks as a gifts for housewarming, they say I can only do so if the recipient paid a dollar for the clock! Pantang!!!
We are not allow to give clock or watches as gifts because the mandarin words for giving clock sounds the same as "
to send the decease off", "送钟". If we die die also must give, then we should ask the person whom the present is for, to give us a small token of $1. The cash transaction make it look as if they bought the gift from us for 1 buck. That’s how clever Singaporeans are at twisting the words around and making clock giving possible.
7th month...
My first blog and I wanted to make sure I have good materials to start off with. I chose a favorite subject discussing “
Pantang” (superstition) things that Singaporean observed. However, I realize I forgot to check the Almanac to see if today is a good day to begin this new “venture”, and an even worst thought occurs to me, this is the lunar 7th month, where all the ghostly beings are release from hell and given a holiday. Chinese in Singapore refuse to hold weddings, start home renovations works or begin a new business venture in such a month! What have I done?!!! How can I expect to be the queen of “Pantang” if I can’t even remember to check out tiny details like this! ARG……
Oh well, it looks like today isn't such a bad day after all. It's good for marriage, good for moving to a new home, good for travelling and good for starting renovation works. The only lacking is the money bag sign.... no luck in money making ventures.
