Beliefs and Superstitions
Most of the art of fortune telling has not been
proven scientifically and yet it has withstood the test of time because humans
aspire to liberate themselves from the complex challenges that life presents
to them. We may believe in fate and yet we hope to change our destiny and
overcome calamities to the best of our ability, sometimes turning to
predictions, dreams and revelations for guidance to success and fortune.
In this article I will briefly try to
reveal what significance numbers have in Chinese culture. Numbers have always
played an important part in our life. We can’t get by without numbers
whether it is telephone numbers, house numbers or pin numbers. People have
known to pay top premium to have certain telephone numbers and we also hear of
houses that command a high price because of the number and we also hear of
houses that take longer to sell because of their number.
Chinese numbers are classified as either
Yin number or a Yang number. Yin number is female and a yang number is male.
Chinese numbers begin with one and zero is considered too negative to be a
starting number. Numbers are
Homonymy that is they are based on sound. Balance of yin and yang gender
of the numbers has been deeply rooted in Chinese culture for centuries and
maybe taken more seriously.
Odd numbers (1,3,5,7,9) are Yang and
Even numbers (2,4,6,8) are Yin.
sounds like yi and yi means easy and honour respectively. It is the beginning
of all things. One is indivisible because it is a perfect entity. It is
auspicious in sound and it augurs good fortune. When yi combines with other
numbers the resulting number may be very auspicious. 12 is a good number as it
sounds like ‘easy to; and when 12 is followed by 8 it sounds like ‘easy to
One and three which is 13 sounds like she
sheng (sure to grow). If the number one is followed by 3, 6, 7,8,9 it still
sounds good. But 113, 117 and 119 may not be balanced in gender as they are
too yang but 113 as still acceptable to businessmen as it sounds like sure to
grow. To make it more balanced add a yin number so 1132 (sure to grow and run
smoothly), 1136 (sure to make profits), 1138 (sure to prosper).
– Er is yin, symmetrical, bilateral and symbolic of two complementary
forces, Yin and Yang, Sun and Moon, day and night, man and woman. Also
symbolises reinforcement (doubling up). Er in Cantonese is pronounced as Yi
which means easy and is therefore popular.
- San is Yang. It takes 3 points to create a geometrical shape. In
Cantonese it sounds like sheng (growth, alive) therefore regarded as a lucky
Four – Wholesome shape such as
square or rectangle. Sounds like si in Cantonese which means die
therefore is not very popular. It is a yin number and therefore not as popular
as a yang number. 14 is a number that needs special mention. 1 sounds as
sure and 4 sounds as die so 14 would sound as sure to die and 1414
would sound as very sure to die. But 1148 is different as it sounds as sure to
prosper at the end.
The only time 4 is auspicious is when it
is used with 5 or 8. eg. 54 will be shall live forever and will not perish, 48
will be sure to prosper and 84 will be very prosperous or prosperity forever.
But you also have 4 seasons.
is a Yang, complete number. You have 5 fingers, 5 organs, 5 elements. It
is popular as many auspicious things are classified as wu. It represents the
central position, thus indicating that it means balance. But in Cantonese it
sounds like nothing. It is auspicious when combined with 20 or 40. So 25 or 45
is yin and yang balance.
And you have the 5 symbolic colours: red,
yellow, green, black and white. 5 directions: north, south, east, west and
central. 5 metals: gold, silver, bronze, steel and tin. 5 elements: Metal,
wood, water, fire and earth.
Six is a Yin number and in
Cantonese six is liu which sounds like good luck. Lu the deer has always
been a lucky symbol for the Chinese as lui sounds like lu which means
16, 63, 65 or 67 are all auspicious as it
is good balance of yin and yang.
is a Yang number, Days of the week, associated with festivals. It is
regarded as an auspicious number as in Cantonese it is similar to the word shi
Eight Yin sounds like the word fa
so it represents good luck. Even though it is a yin number it
represents luck to the Cantonese because it sounds like fa (multiply). Then
you have the 8 directions, north, south, east, west, north-east, southeast,
southwest and north west which appear as trigrams on the ba gua.
is the last of the Yang numbers. It represents longevity. Phrases and things
associated with 9 are mostly auspicious and significant to man. When combined
with Yin number it makes the whole number auspicious. 29 is a good balance of
yin and yang.
Ten is a yin number and the last of
the numbers on the decimal scale, it implies shi chuan or
completeness. But it is not particularly auspiciousness as it is yin. It
becomes auspicious when combined with 6 or 8, So 16 or 18 are very auspicious
as it yin, yang. 16 means sure to be wealthy and 18 is sure to be prosperous.
So if you do have a house or apartment
with a number that is inauspicious don’t panic. It is the sound that makes
it inauspicious. If you don’t speak Cantonese you don’t have to worry. If
you live in a house with the number 4 it is fine. It is not going
to bring you bad luck
There it is the mystery of Chinese numbers
and the myths of numbers 4 and 8 demystified. Do write to me on your views
about this article and I am happy to help you with specific numbers. I could
go on writing about all the numbers but it wouldn’t be relevant to
If you have any questions feel free to Email