Several years ago, I wrote an article about gifts to avoid buying for Chinese people, and one of the items was an umbrella. Today, I would like to expand on the Chinese superstitions surrounding the umbrella taboo in Chinese culture. In feng shui, it is believed that, when used correctly, an umbrella can bring luck and wealth. However, if used incorrectly, it may bring misfortune. Do you believe it?
I am a big fan of Mr Zhou’s Ghost Stories podcast on Singapore radio station Love 97.2FM, and I have often mentioned or quoted stories from the podcast in my own ghost story and Chinese superstition blog posts. In many of their stories, ghostly encounters involving umbrellas are frequently mentioned, which I will explore further below.
The History of the Umbrella
In ancient China, umbrellas were seen as symbols of status and power, as only the emperor could own one. According to legend, the emperor’s umbrella or parasol was made from angel wings to protect him from rain and sunshine, and it was believed to possess auspicious powers. As time passed, wealthy nobles were also able to own silk umbrellas, although they remained expensive luxury items. Today, umbrellas have become common household items used to protect us from wind, rain, and the sun.
How Do You Pronounce “Umbrella” in Mandarin?
The Chinese word for umbrella is 伞 (sǎn), which sounds similar to 散 (sàn), meaning “to split” or “to scatter”. Because of this association, umbrellas are considered inauspicious gifts, especially for loved ones, as they are believed to symbolise separation or the end of a relationship.
Is an Umbrella Considered “Yin”?
Umbrellas are used to shield us from rain, so they naturally become wet and retain moisture. In Chinese superstition, moisture is believed to attract yin energy, which is associated with ghosts and spirits. As a result, some superstitious people avoid keeping umbrellas inside their homes.
Umbrellas are also used to shield people from the sun. For example, during some traditional Chinese funerals, relatives of the deceased may carry a black umbrella over the deceased’s photograph while travelling to the temple. It is believed that the umbrella shields the spirit of the deceased from the sun, which is considered too yang and therefore harmful to spirits — much like sunlight affecting a vampire.
Choosing the “Right” Umbrella
If you wish to keep an umbrella, some feng shui beliefs suggest choosing its colour carefully.
Transparent umbrellas are generally discouraged. Although they are not believed to bring direct misfortune, they are also thought to offer no positive fortune or protective energy.
Red umbrellas are also considered unsuitable in everyday situations. While red symbolises luck and prosperity in Chinese culture, it can also represent danger. Some believe that when a bright red umbrella is used in the rain, the rainwater dulls its colour, symbolising depleted wealth. However, red umbrellas are sometimes used in weddings. During my sister’s wedding, for example, a red umbrella was held over her as she entered the bridal car. According to my mother, this was done to ward off evil spirits and bad omens. Afterwards, the umbrella was left outside the house, as bringing it indoors was believed to deplete wealth.
Yellow umbrellas are considered auspicious because yellow symbolises gold and wealth. It is believed that the reflection of yellow light brings happiness and prosperity. Blue umbrellas are also regarded positively. Although they do not reflect sunlight in the same way, some believe they reflect rainbow-like light during rain, bringing good luck and wealth.
True Ghost Stories
According to old wives’ tales, ghosts use umbrellas to move around during daylight hours. This is why some people believe umbrellas should never be brought indoors.
The following story was broadcast on Mr Zhou’s Ghost Stories podcast on 4 March 2022 and was told by Mr Zhou himself. The story came from a director he worked with whose family lived in Penang, Malaysia.
The family lived in a traditional shophouse. In Penang, shophouses are typically narrow, with the shop area at the front, an air well in the middle, and the kitchen and toilet at the back. Bedrooms are usually located upstairs.
The director’s relatives often invited close family members to their home to play mahjong in the air well area. Over time, guests began bringing friends along, and because the space was large enough for multiple mahjong tables, the gatherings became increasingly crowded. Many guests brought umbrellas with them to shield themselves from the rain or hot sun. They would often leave the umbrellas open inside the house or near the air well to dry.
Soon afterwards, family members began behaving strangely. Late at night, between 2 and 3 am, they would sit silently by the air well, staring blankly into it. When awakened, they had no memory of why they were there. The family found this unsettling but did not initially connect it to supernatural causes.
Later, they noticed strange white spots appearing around the floor near the air well. The house also began to feel damp, dark, and gloomy. Eventually, they hired a feng shui master, who claimed that each white spot represented a ghost. According to the story, the spots were dug out one by one, and each supposedly revealed the face of a person. There were said to be over one hundred such spots.
The feng shui master concluded that the ghosts had entered the house through the umbrellas brought in by visitors. He advised the family never to bring umbrellas indoors again and to avoid inviting too many strangers into the home.
Another story from Mr Zhou’s Ghost Stories involved one of his Malay colleagues. A feng shui master allegedly told her that a family of four ghosts hiding in her toilet had entered her home through an umbrella she had carried while shopping.
Another common umbrella taboo is the belief that opening an umbrella indoors will deplete wealth and divide the family (散财散家 sàn cái sàn jiā). Interestingly, some British people also believe that opening an umbrella indoors brings bad luck.
The next story was broadcast on 14 January 2022 and told by a guest named Vivi.
In March 2021, Vivi was preparing to move to a new office and wanted to clear as much stock as possible, including umbrellas. During a Facebook Live session, she decided to create a playful atmosphere by opening an umbrella indoors while dancing to the song “One Small Umbrella”.
For context, “One Small Umbrella” (Ji Ki Sio Hor Sua, 一支小雨伞) is a Hokkien song performed by Taiwanese singer Chris Hung (洪荣宏) in 1982.
As she opened the umbrella during the livestream, many viewers warned her not to do so indoors because it might offend spirits. Vivi dismissed the warnings and said she did not believe in ghosts.
Suddenly, her background music stopped because she received a WhatsApp call during the livestream. When she answered, the caller repeatedly said he was “in pain”. She quickly ended the call and continued streaming.
Viewers immediately commented that strange things were happening because she had offended spirits. Vivi ignored them. Soon afterwards, the same number called again. This time, the caller again claimed to be in pain and gave his name. Feeling uncomfortable, Vivi still continued with the livestream. She even showed the caller’s photo to her audience and jokingly asked whether he wanted her to leave the umbrella behind for him.
Moments later, a crucifix hanging behind her suddenly fell from the wall.
The following day, Vivi’s husband called the number back, but no one answered. Thirty minutes later, the same number called him, yet there was complete silence on the line. Another thirty minutes later, the number called Vivi again. Friends who later called the number reportedly heard different voices answering each time.
Eventually, Vivi sought help from a feng shui master. According to the story, the umbrella was burned and prayers were conducted to resolve the disturbance. The feng shui master later told her that her behaviour during the livestream had offended unseen spirits.
If you would like to hear more umbrella-related ghost stories, check out Mr Zhou’s Ghost Stories podcasts from 28 June 2019 and 15 April 2022.
Places to Avoid Hanging Your Umbrella
As mentioned earlier, some feng shui beliefs discourage bringing umbrellas indoors. If you must bring one inside, there are several places where it should supposedly not be kept.
Avoid placing an umbrella in the living room, as it is believed to weaken family bonds and relationships.
Umbrellas should also not be kept in the bedroom. Because umbrellas are considered yin, some feng shui practitioners believe they create an imbalance in the room, potentially causing sleeplessness and poor health.
Another place to avoid is directly in front of or behind the front door, whether the umbrella is wet or dry. In feng shui, the front door symbolises the “face” of the home and the energy entering it. Keeping an umbrella there is believed to harm relationships, wealth, and career prospects because of the association with “splitting” or separation.
Windows are also considered unsuitable locations. Since windows allow energy to flow in and out of the home, an umbrella placed nearby is believed to invite negative yin energy into the house.
Finally, avoid hanging umbrellas on walls. Besides practical concerns such as moisture damage, some feng shui beliefs suggest that doing so negatively affects the energy and structure of the home.
So, Where Should You Place Your Umbrella?
According to feng shui beliefs, umbrellas should be stored somewhere out of sight once they are dry, such as in a garden, balcony, porch, or side cupboard away from the main entrance.
For example, my mother keeps her umbrellas in a small cupboard located away from the front door of her Singapore HDB flat. I personally keep mine in the porch, away from the entrance.
How Do You Store Your Umbrellas?
Did you also know that some people buy a brand-new umbrella before staying in a hotel? According to superstition, they open the umbrella inside the hotel room, close it, and leave it outside the room’s door. When checking out, they reopen the umbrella to “release” any spirits back into the room before throwing the umbrella away. If you are interested in this belief, check out my blog post on hotel superstitions to learn more.
