新屋要注意的禁忌

Taboos to Observe in a New Home

Now that we've discussed so much about home renovation, it's time to talk about some post-move matters, and today we'll discuss the taboos to be aware of in a new house!

New Home Taboos

  1. Do not hang mirrors in the kitchen of a new house
  • One of the taboos of mirrors is that they should not reflect the stove area. If a mirror is hung in the kitchen, it can easily reflect the stove. And if it reflects food in a pot, the harm is even greater, and it can also cause fire or misfortune to the residence.
  1. The main door of a new house should not directly face the kitchen 
  • The kitchen should absolutely not be in a straight line with the new house! If this situation occurs, it indicates bad financial luck for the family, with a risk of losing wealth, and can also harm health. In fact, modern houses rarely have this situation, but it's something to pay attention to when viewing a new house.
  1. The refrigerator and rice bin in a new house should not be empty 
  • The refrigerator should not be empty, and the rice bin should always be refilled, because these two items are closely related to food and clothing. Keeping them full symbolizes that the family will have ample food and clothing.
  1. Do not hang knives in the kitchen of a new house
  • Various kitchen knives or fruit knives should not be hung on the wall or placed in a knife block; they should be stored in drawers. Garlic, onions, chilies, and other items should also not be hung in the kitchen, as these items are believed to absorb negative energy.
  1. The kitchen and toilet in a new house should not be connected 
  • In modern homes, for convenience of design and space-saving, many families connect the kitchen and toilet, where one enters the toilet by first passing through the kitchen. In the feng shui of new house renovation, this is considered inauspicious and can lead to frequent illness for the entire family. Therefore, such new houses should be avoided.
  1. Choose an auspicious date for moving, consulting a "Tong Shu" (Chinese almanac).
  2. When starting the move, pregnant women should leave the premises.
  3. The homeowner should preferably not initiate greetings when moving furniture and sundry items.
  4. On moving day, the homeowner and family should remain calm, not lose their temper, and speak auspicious words.
  5. It is best to have others help move furniture out of the old house.
  6. When moving into the new house, it is best for the homeowner and family to carry items in themselves; avoid an entire family entering the house empty-handed.
  7. The best time to move is before noon, and it should be completed before sunset.
New Home Moving-in Ceremony
  • Auspicious Moving-in Date
    • How should you choose the date and time? The simplest way is to find an auspicious day in a Tong Shu, suitable for relocation (移徙) and not a "Po Ri" (破日 - breaking day). It is not recommended to use free online or mobile Tong Shus. Some folk beliefs suggest that moving house is not advisable during the Lunar New Year (first month), March (or Qingming solar term), the Ghost Festival in July, the Double Ninth Festival in September, and one's lunar birthday month. Personally, I find five months of not being able to move in a year too restrictive. The simplest approach is to avoid the first to fifteenth days of the first lunar month, the first to fifteenth days of the seventh lunar month, and one's exact lunar birthday.
    • Items for Worshipping during Moving-in
      • If you plan to worship, you can prepare offering items: one chicken, roasted pig, 5 apples, 5 oranges, a set of offerings for the Heavenly God, a censer and incense burner for the household earth god (拜門口土地), incense and candles, etc.
      Moving House Feng Shui
      • When moving, you can hang a pair of large radishes on both sides of the main door and a pineapple at the top of the door, symbolizing "good luck" and "prosperity" (旺來 - "wang lai" sounds like "prosperity comes"). Alternatively, hang a "Ba Xian Cai" (八仙彩 - auspicious banner) on the door to invite good fortune.
      • Place "Emperor Coins" at the head of the bed in the living room.
      • According to legend, the "Five Emperor Coins" (五帝錢) embody the energies of heaven, earth, and man, along with the imperial power of five emperors. Therefore, they are believed to ward off evil, neutralize negative energy, and also bring wealth. They can also strengthen the owner's confidence and resolve feelings of being disoriented. Furthermore, placing the Five Emperor Coins in the bedroom has functions of deterring negative energy, warding off petty people, dispelling evil, attracting wealth, and bringing blessings.
      • "Bai Si Jiao" (Worshipping the Four Corners) Ceremony
        • Some people follow the Chinese custom of performing the "Bai Si Jiao" (Worshipping the Four Corners) ceremony. Light 21 incense sticks, face the main door, and starting from the left, clockwise cense the entire house once with the incense, silently praying and making wishes. After censing the house, place nine incense sticks in the center of the living room, and three incense sticks in each of the four corners (east, south, west, north), along with one pair of candles at each of these five spots, totaling five pairs of candles. Burn paper offerings in the center of the unit or in the back stairwell. After burning the paper offerings, discard all other offerings. Use a new broom to sweep the area, starting from each corner of the living room, sweeping the dirt to the center of the living room, and then sweeping it out the main door, symbolizing sweeping away impurities.
        Moving-in Steps

        1. On moving day, prepare several items. Before moving in, place firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea in the kitchen, symbolizing a smooth family life and abundant food and clothing.
        2. Take a rice bin filled eight-tenths full, place two red envelopes on top of the rice. Inside the red envelopes, put banknotes, a small amount of tea leaves, and rice. Then, on moving day, carry the rice bin into the house first, representing abundant food and clothing after moving in.
        3. Each person should bring a set of old bowls and chopsticks to the new house, tied with red paper. This signifies good health and freedom from illness for the family.
        4. If there are altars for deities or ancestors, everyone should light incense after entering the house to seek blessings from the spirits and ancestors.
        5. On moving day, boil a pot of water and turn on the fan or air conditioner, symbolizing "feng sheng shui qi" (good fortune and prosperity).
        6. Avoid arguments on moving day, as the saying goes, "harmony in the family brings prosperity."
        7. Bring some soil from the old house to the new house to prevent discomfort with the new environment.
        8. Use a new broom in the new house; do not use the old broom from the previous house.

        New Home Moving-in Process

        • Fill with water, e.g., sinks, buckets
        • Choose an auspicious date
        • Bring in the "wealth box" (进财箱)
        • Turn on lights
        • Light fires (e.g., stove)
        • Paste Spring Couplets or "New Home Moving In" (新居入伙) signs
        Are pregnant women unsuitable for moving?

        According to folk customs, moving house, moving beds, etc., during pregnancy can affect or disturb the "Taishen" (胎神 - Fetal Spirit). Since the Fetal Spirit is in different places every day, accidentally pressing, injuring, or offending it could lead to miscarriage. However, from a modern scientific perspective, moving or renovating a house requires a lot of labor and mental effort, and involves moving heavy objects. For pregnant women whose center of gravity is unstable, the probability of accidents increases. Therefore, to ensure the safety of the pregnant woman and the unborn child, extra caution should be exercised in their actions.