Funny Southeast Asian Superstitions
Do you have any inexplicable superstitions in your culture? In light of Halloween, I thought it’s as good a time as any to share some Southeast Asian superstitions I grew up with.
I’m all for science, but part of me has always been fascinated by superstitions, folklore and the paranormal.
I think superstitions are amusing if you’re not bound by them. They usually have their roots in folklore. While folklores are intriguing stories that were often made up a long time ago that sometimes attempt to protect the people listening to them. Both are interesting parts of a culture!
If you’re ready, enter the world of Southeast Asian superstitions with me…
Knock on the door before you enter an empty accommodation
There’s a belief that spirits are around us and they inhabit unoccupied spaces. Before we enter an empty hotel room or a house that hasn’t been inhabited for a while, we’ll knock on the door to “inform” them that we’re here and to please excuse us.
You know, basic courtesy.
Otherwise, they may see it as an intrusion and get mad and “disturb” us by making their presence known.
I don’t believe in spirits having a life after death – I think paranormal events are expressions of residual energy absent of cognition and action. But sometimes superstitions burrow deep into the mind, into that space right beyond the reach of rationality.
To this day, I still knock before I enter empty hotel rooms. Go on, laugh at me.
Don’t say disrespectful things at a cemetery or a funeral
Because you risk offending the deceased and they may follow you home. So you shouldn’t say things like “she’s so pretty!”, or “what a shame, he died young.”
Well, anyone in their right mind would know the deceased aren’t listening anymore. Then again, superstitions are illogical. I believe parents may have cooked this up at one point to prevent kids from saying insensitive things at funerals. But I’m sure a lot of people still buy it.
I think we shouldn’t say disrespectful things anywhere.
If you smell something unusual at night, don’t make a comment
Smells can be a sign that a spirit is nearby – it can be a sweet floral smell or a bad smell of decay. Don’t comment about it until you leave the area.
In the Malay folklore, if you smell Frangipani/Plumeria flowers at night, it could mean that a ghost or a vampire is nearby… Unless there’s a Frangipani tree nearby, of course. I love their scent. The flower, that is.
In general, the superstitious practice is to not make a comment if you suspect something supernatural is happening. Apparently, spirits would be more active if they know you’ve sensed them.
If you hear someone call your name at night, don’t turn around
I’m pretty sure we all know someone who’s walking home one night and heard their name being called. But when they turn around, no one’s there!
Well, many Chinese in the region (even in Hong Kong) believe that you shouldn’t turn around in that situation.
Some Taoists (in the branch that dabbles in metaphysics) believe that there are three protective flames on a person. One above the head, and one floating on each shoulder. Obviously, we can’t see it. The flames protect us from spirits.
When we turn, we risk extinguishing the “flame” with our breath.
See how sneaky the spirits are? They call our names so we turn around and blow out the flame on our shoulder! Otherwise, they can’t approach us!
The next time you hear someone call your name at night, keep walking. If it’s a friend, they’ll catch up and yell at you. That’s better than extinguishing your flame and getting “tagged” by a spirit.
By the way, this is the same reason some Chinese don’t like to be tapped on the shoulders when they’re gambling! Yup, because tapping extinguishes the flame. Apparently, the flame gives us luck too!
You can see “them” if you look behind you from between your legs
To do this, you should go to a place with a lot of negative energy, preferably a place where many died at. Or a cemetery. Bend over forward, then look behind you through your splayed legs… If you dare.
I remember listening to this nifty “trick” when I was hanging out with my cousins in Malaysia. We were all little then, and love getting spooked. None of us tried it.
As silly as it sounds, this superstition is widely circulated among the Chinese in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the Thai. It’s often used in Asian movies too.
Don’t look at trees at night
I learned this from a Malay friend. One night, we were taking a stroll at a park. I pointed at a tree to comment on the silhouette (they’re the prettiest!) and he got really uncomfortable. Well, he got a little scared. So I asked him why.
He said some creatures reside in trees. If we look at tree canopies at night, we may spot them! I’m not sure if it qualifies as a superstition, but according to folklore, some creatures do reside in tree canopies.
I always felt that Malay folklore has some of the creepiest and most interesting creatures. So I can understand why he got uncomfortable. I think when you grew up listening to these stories, it can become a subconscious fear that you can’t control.
Don’t whistle at night
I think we’re not supposed to sing too. Doing either may attract the spirits’ attention. Remember, “the night is dark and full of terrors*”…
This could have a practical root though. Imagine being out at night back when streets were deserted and dark. Whistling announces your location and could attract robbers’ attention and get one in trouble.
Also, back in the day, nights are so quiet singing and whistling can disturb your neighbors’ peace. The houses in Southeast Asia were often made of wooden planks.
*Quote from A Song of Ice And Fire by George R. R. Martin.
Don’t sleep facing the mirror
I first heard this from my mom, she said sleeping facing the mirror can give me nightmares and prevent me from sleeping well.
According to The Spruce, having a mirror facing the bed is bad Feng Shui and can deplete your energy and even draw third parties to your relationship.
I don’t believe in Feng Shui, but I’ve always found mirrors a little spooky.
Unfortunately, there’s a full-length mirror right opposite my side of the bed, reflecting my head. Every night, I’ll put up a pillow fort on my side table to block my view of the mirror, not to protect my delicate energies, but because I’ve exposed myself to too many horror movies. After all, mirrors are a staple in every horror movie!
My imagination is a lot wilder than most superstitions. I mean, if my reflection moves as I sleep motionlessly, I DO NOT want to see it.
Did you find these South-East Asian superstitions amusing? Do you have superstitions in your culture? Please feel free to share them in the comments! I’d love to learn about them.
If you’re a fan of all things creepy, you may like this post:
These are spooky superstitions! I haven’t heard of any of these, but the mirror one makes sense – mirrors can be creepy! Irish people’s superstitions tie in with folklore – like not messing with a faerie fort or faerie tree (they actually changed the original plan to build a road because people were afraid of the bad luck cutting a faerie tree would cause!)
Ash | thisdreamsalive.com
Ooo I think it’s interesting when superstitions cause entire communities to act differently. In this case it seems like a good thing since the superstitions helped to preserve the faerie forts/tree. I had to google what they are btw. They’re so cool looking. 🙂
I think this is specific to HK, but have you heard about ghosts being able to enter your body if your hair is wet?
Or the ghosts that will haunt you if you don’t leave something out to distract them?
Old school HKers are the most superstitious ever, hehe.
I love that! I used to listen to radio shows about their horror stories. They have a lot of superstitions!
Never heard of the wet hair one, but I heard of the one that said you shouldn’t walk with your heels off the floor because it makes it easier for spirits to possess you. 😛
This was so much fun to read! And perfect for Halloween time, too! I hadn’t heard of ANY of these superstitions! But one thing I love about a lot of Asian superstitions is that it seems that you should respect the dead, like knocking on the door of unoccupied room. I think that’s really nice and such a change from American ghost hunting shows where they try to “provoke” the spirit, which I always thought was quite rude, haha. As far as in America, I don’t think we’re too superstitious. I mean, I’ve heard of people throwing salt over their shoulder, spitting to ward off the devil, but I think those might come from Europe. I feel like the US has more urban legends, like Bloody Mary and those stories that seem to be in every town where mysterious hands push your car either down the road or over a railroad track, etc. But I could be wrong!
Emily | https://www.thatweirdgirllife.com
It makes my day to know it was fun to read! I think we do respect the dead a lot, but we also fear them a lot. They make it seem like spirits are everywhere and always trying to follow you home! And yes, we’ll never provoke spirits! The older folks always tell us not to mess with the supernatural, and there are stories about hauntings that make the haunted very sick. Maybe Asian ghosts are petty! I hope they’re not reading this. Haha! But it made me more convinced that spirits, if they exist, are just residual energies. We don’t throw salt over our shoulder, I wonder if it “scalds” them.
Maybe I should do research on American urban legends next. I think when people emigrate, they leave some of their traditions behind, maybe that’s why there aren’t as many superstitious beliefs here?
Thanks for reading and commenting! 🙂
“Don’t sleep facing the mirror” & “don’t look at trees at night” – I bet there’s some real science behind this, because as a woman whose entire family line has been from Europe, I absolutely, point blank will not do either of these things.
That’s fascinating! What’s the reason you guys don’t do those things?
Because it scares me! In the darkness trees begin to resemble things that aren’t trees, and there was a mirror in my childhood bedroom that faces the bed and I wouldn’t occupy half of the bed because it meant being in line with the mirror.
Oh I see. For a moment I thought it’s a European superstition. So I’m not the only one who doesn’t like to be reflected when I’m sleeping! Glad to hear that! 😛 I totally understand that about trees. 🙂
WHY ARE THEY SO LONG AND SPINDLY?!