The start of a new year often comes with a familiar rut — resolutions made in January quietly abandoned by the second week. Fret not. Chinese New Year offers another opportunity for renewal. Chinese culture, at its core, is rich in customs, traditions and superstitious beliefs. It is widely held that what one practices during the Lunar New Year can influence luck in the year ahead.
Here are some common superstitions worth noting as you round out your guide to a prosperous Lunar New Year:
Don’t sweep or take out the garbage
Sweeping on New Year’s Day is believed to sweep away blessings from the household, while taking out the garbage symbolizes discarding good fortune. Many families avoid these tasks on New Year’s Eve and the first day of the Lunar New Year to preserve incoming luck.
Avoid washing or cutting your hair
In Mandarin, the word for hair (tóu fa) shares the same pronunciation as fa in fa cai, meaning “to become wealthy.” Washing or cutting your hair is believed to symbolize washing or cutting away wealth. If you’re planning a new hairstyle, it may be wise to wait until the second day of the new year.
Avoid taking medicine
Some believe that taking medicine on the first day of the Lunar New Year may invite illness for the rest of the year. In older traditions, people would even discard or symbolically break their medicine pots to ward off sickness and ensure good health in the months ahead.
Don’t wash clothes
Clothes are traditionally not washed on the first and second days of the new year in observance of the Water God’s birthday. Since water symbolizes wealth in Chinese culture, pouring water away is believed to wash away prosperity. Washing clothes during this time is therefore considered disrespectful and inauspicious.
Avoid breaking glassware
Breaking plates, bowls, or vases is associated with incompleteness, financial loss or family discord. If something is accidentally broken, it is customary to wrap the shards in red paper and say, “Sui sui ping’an,” which means “peace and safety throughout the year,” to counteract any bad luck.
Superstitions may not resonate with everyone, but they reflect a communal desire for harmony, prosperity, and well-being. Rooted in tradition, these beliefs offer a sense of continuity and an intentional way to step into the new year — with mindfulness and hope.