MODULE 1

OVERVIEW OF MANDARIN LANGUAGE

LESSON 3: MYTHS AND BELIEFS OF CHINESE

Learning Objectives:

After studying the lesson, you should be able to:

a. Discuss the myths and some beliefs of Chinese.

ENGAGE

DIRECTION: Self-Reflection. Give at least five superstitious beliefs of Chinese and Filipinos and explain
each.

PHILIPPINE CHINA
 EXPLORE: READ AND UNDERSTAND

MYTHS ABOUT LEARNING MANDARIN

 Chinese is a very difficult language. Although some things look difficult, is just as easy as any other
language to pick up enough Chinese to get by with.

 Each character is a 'word'. This is not often the case, often two or three characters are needed in
Chinese as a translation of a single English word.

 The written language is symbolic and not phonetic. This is not correct in general; most characters
include hints on how the characters should be pronounced.

 Chinese does not have a full grammar. Although Chinese does not have declensions or tenses in the
same way that many other languages do this is more than compensated for in use of special ‘particles’
and grammatical structures.

 Pinyin’ can be used to speak Chinese fluently. The sounds used for vowels and consonants in spoken
Chinese overlap the ‘Latin’ forms used in English a little; some are similar; others are totally different
and have to be learned as new sounds. An English speaker needs to learn how to make these new sounds
to be understood in China.

CHINESE CUSTOMS, SUPERSTITIONS AND TRADITIONS

 Marriage
In the Chinese family system, the wife lives with the husband’s family and is deemed as no
longer part of her own family, but the 'property' of the husband’s family.

 Funeral Customs and Wake

The burial of the dead (cremation is traditionally uncommon) is a matter taken very seriously in
Chinese societies. Improper funeral arrangements can wreak ill fortune and disaster upon the family of
the deceased. To a certain degree, Chinese funeral rites and burial customs are determined by the age of
the deceased, the manner of his/her death, his/her status and position in society and his/her marital
status.

 Colours
In Chinese culture there are three central colours: red, black and white.
 Red, being the colour of blood, symbolises the positive aspects of life such as happiness, wealth,
fame etc. Red is always associated with good luck.
 Black, being the colour of feces is associated with dirt, sin, evil, disasters, sadness, cruelty and
suffering among other negative things.
 White symbolises the mother’s milk and is intermediate between red and black, balancing the
two colours. It signifies moderation, purity, honesty and life, but is also used at funerals as it is
believed it can harmonise all elements

 Some Miscellaneous Customs and Beliefs

 Brooms. The use of brooms should only be for cleaning the house, shop etc. Traditional Chinese
culture holds that a broom is inhabited by a spirit, thus explaining why it should not be used for
games, playing etc. The broom should not be used for cleaning the household gods or altar as
this is disrespectful.

 Numbers. Certain numbers are considered lucky, and others unlucky. The luckiest number in
Chinese culture is eight, as the Chinese for eight sounds like the word for ‘lucky’. Four,
conversely is a very unlucky number as in Chinese it sounds like the word for death.

 Moustaches and beards. Despite a long history of beards and moustaches in Chinese heroes and
Chinese deities pictured with beards, wearing a moustache is considered bad luck by Chinese
custom, and can bring misfortune on the family and relatives of the wearer.

 Finger and toe nails. Chinese custom forbids the clipping of one’s toe or finger nails at night as
it is believed that this may cause a visit from the dead or a ghost. Nail clippings are to be
carefully collected and disposed of in a place unknown to others as it is believed that nail
clippings can be used to cast a spell or curse upon the person from whom the clippings have
come.