Things to avoid on the first day of the lunar month that you may not know.

​(Baonghean.vn) - According to feng shui, the first day of the new year is extremely important. There are many things you should do to bring good luck and fortune in the new year, but there are also taboo things that should not be done, otherwise you will face great misfortune.

1. Avoid eating unlucky foods.

On New Year's Day, Vietnamese people avoid eating dishes like duck meat, carp, and dog meat because, according to tradition, these are considered unlucky foods for the new year. Additionally, some regions avoid eating shrimp for fear of... moving backward like a shrimp. Eating shrimp during Tet is believed to cause one's work to regress instead of progress in the coming year.

Duck meat is considered taboo on New Year's Day. (Image: Internet)

2. Don't wake other people up.

If someone wakes you up in the morning, it means you'll be in a rush all year, constantly being urged on by others.

3. Do not give New Year's gifts to people who are sleeping.

Giving New Year's greetings or lucky money to someone who is still in bed is considered inappropriate and disrespectful. Therefore, wait until they are awake before giving them New Year's greetings or lucky money.

4. Avoid giving it to fire.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, people are very wary of others coming to ask for fire from their house. This is because fire, being red, symbolizes good luck.

Giving away something red on the first day of Tet (Lunar New Year) is believed to bring bad luck to the household throughout the year, such as business losses, family conflicts, and accidents when going out.

5. People in mourning should not be the first to enter a house on New Year's Day.

Originating from the custom of "first visitor" or "first foot visitor" at the beginning of the year, the first person to enter someone's house on the first day of Tet (Lunar New Year) is believed to determine whether that family will have good or bad luck for the entire year.

Therefore, people considered "unlucky" or whose zodiac signs are incompatible with the homeowner should not visit the house on New Year's Day. People in mourning should also avoid visiting other people's homes to prevent bad luck.

6. Do not use medication.

You should also refrain from taking medicine on the first day of the Lunar New Year. (Image: Internet)

Unless it's a serious illness, you absolutely shouldn't take any medicine, not even tonics, on the first day of Tet (Lunar New Year). Otherwise, you'll be plagued by illness all year, and you'll be taking medicine all year without getting better.

7. Don't touch the needle.

It is believed that if a pregnant woman touches a needle on the first day of the lunar month, her baby will be born with eyes as small as a needle.

8. Do not break anything.

Things that break on the first day of the Lunar New Year are considered unlucky. If you accidentally break something, throw it away after the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.

9. Not cleaning up the trash.

According to ancient beliefs, during the first three days of Tet (Lunar New Year), everything in the house represents the wealth of the entire year. The more trash in the house, the more money will be earned that year. Therefore, they forbade sweeping "money" out of the house; failure to do so would bring poverty to the family throughout the year.

10. Avoid borrowing or repaying debts on the first day of the year.

This taboo stems from the belief that on the first day of spring, people open their doors to welcome good fortune into their homes, while lending or returning things is like "giving" good fortune to others.

Avoid lending or borrowing money during Tet (Lunar New Year) because lending or repaying is like "giving" your good fortune to others. (Image: Internet)

Therefore, in families, grandparents and parents often advise their children and grandchildren during Tet (Lunar New Year) not to borrow money or belongings from others, to avoid falling into poverty, debt, and bad luck in work and business throughout the year.

11. Avoid wearing black and white clothing.

For Vietnamese people, black and white symbolize mourning, so during Tet (Vietnamese New Year), people usually avoid wearing clothes that are predominantly black or white. During Tet, people often wear colorful, vibrant clothes to wish for a lucky and joyful new year.

13. Don't wash your clothes.

There is a water god who was born on the 1st and 2nd of the month. Therefore, one should not wash clothes on these two days, at least not on the 1st, as a sign of respect.

However, these taboos depend on the individual beliefs and customs of each person and family. Nevertheless, understanding these New Year's traditions will help people behave tactfully, avoiding misunderstandings and awkward situations in relationships.

Hoa Le

(Synthetic)