Chinese Lunar New Year: Customs, superstitions and symbolism
Growing up, I was always captivated by my mum’s deep reverence for the Chinese zodiac. Consider my daughter, Heidi, born in the Year of the Dog. She faced what is termed “offending the Grand Duke” or “Fan Tai Sui” (犯太岁) in Mandarin during the last Dog year. This belief holds that sharing your birth year with the current zodiac sign can invite bad luck.
To counter this, my mum insisted we buy Heidi a gold dog pendant – a talisman to shield her from any negative energy. Respecting such traditions, I obliged, and that pendant is still a cherished item in my jewellery box.
However, this is not just a personal story.
Let's delve into the numbers, particularly the surge in “dragon babies”. In 2024, during the Year of the Dragon, China witnessed a 5.7% year-on-year increase in births, with South Korea seeing a 3% rise. These spikes are noteworthy, considering both nations are grappling with declining birth rates.
Yet, these booms are likely ephemeral, propelled by the Dragon’s association with strength and royalty – traits every parent might wish for their child. We might expect another surge in 2036, the next Dragon year.
Beyond just birth rates, zodiac years significantly impact other behaviours, especially in financial contexts. Economic research indicates that during their offence years, individuals act more cautiously with investments, and are prone to purchase higher-priced insurance policies to offset perceived risks. This insight is particularly valuable for insurance agents, who could target potential buyers based on their zodiac offence year.
Understanding these superstitions provides deep insights into consumer behaviour. What drives purchases often boils down to feelings of security and fortune.
This is particularly relevant in decision-making science, where theories of bounded rationality and heuristics come into play.
Even the most logical among us don’t always have all the necessary information to make purely rational decisions, especially in situations fraught with uncertainty, such as investments or potential accidents. Here, we often rely on heuristics – mental shortcuts that include folklore beliefs, such as Chinese astrology, lucky numbers, or auspicious signs.
Reflecting on my decision to heed my mum’s advice, it’s evident that these ancient beliefs still subtly guide our choices, particularly in moments shrouded in uncertainty. To manage the unknown, we often turn to traditional beliefs to quell our anxieties.
Whether it’s protecting loved ones with a charm, or timing major life events such as childbirth in a “lucky” year, the zodiac's influence is deep and enduring, resonating through our actions even in contemporary settings.
We should not underestimate the influence of common folklore beliefs. In the context of the Chinese zodiac, this includes more than 1.7 billion (or about 20% of the world population) people across six countries – China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Singapore, and Vietnam – as well as the diaspora in other parts of Southeast Asia and Australia who believe to varying degrees.
As the Year of the Snake approaches, I find myself reviewing my children’s fortunes. For Heidi, who is in her marriage age, the forecasts suggest she might find love and marry quickly – a delightful prospect to anticipate!