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Fruits for Offerings: What to Use and Avoid in Buddhist and Ancestral Prayers

Do you know which fruits are appropriate to offer to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and your ancestors – and which ones should be avoided?

When I was young, praying to the gods and ancestors on important days was a significant event in my household. I vividly remember two whole sugar canes with roots, each tied with red threads and adorned with a yellow paper lantern. Alongside them stood a table filled with plates of fresh fruits and flowers for the Buddhas, and another with meats, biscuits, and cakes for our ancestors. A tall stack of joss paper was always prepared for burning, symbolically sent to our ancestors for use in the afterlife.

Fruits for Offerings What to Use and Avoid in Buddhist and Ancestral Prayers

Feng Shui Wallet Tips: What to Keep (and Avoid) for Wealth and Prosperity

Many people turn to feng shui not only to invite wealth but also to improve relationships, enhance wellbeing, and ward off bad luck. While some dismiss it as mere superstition, others see it as a way of aligning themselves with positive energy. My view? If a practice uplifts you, causes no harm, and may even bring prosperity – why not give it a try? At the very least, you will gain an interesting experience.

Feng Shui Wallet Tips What to Keep (and Avoid) for Wealth and Prosperity

Feng Shui: Bedroom Taboos

In Chinese culture, feng shui plays a major part in our lives as many believe that if feng shui is used properly, it will bring us good fortune, protect us from bad luck and more. Whilst there are imbalances of yin/yang chi of the space, it will create bad feng shui. Sometimes it will bring disaster and even, death.

Feng Shui: Bedroom Taboos

Feng Shui: Keep Brooms and Mops out of Sight

With feng shui, brooms, mops and any cleaning gear are considered bad luck. If they are used properly, they can sweep out the negative energy of the home or business. If they are not used properly, they can sweep away the good and positive auspicious energy of the home or business. Hence it is best to keep them out of sight after cleaning is done.

Feng Shui Keep Brooms and Mops out of Sight

Feng Shui: Keep Fake Flowers and Plants at a Minimum

I mentioned in an earlier post that my mum came to the UK to visit us. During her stay, she passed down a lot of feng shui tips and suggested I change several things. One of the suggestions was regarding fake flowers and plants. She said that if a house is filled with too many fake flowers and artificial plants, it will attract a lot of fake relationships, like friendships, and also gossip into our lives. I’m not sure where she heard it from. But she is quite an avid listener of feng shui podcasts and Buddhism YouTube channels. Each day, the channels will share tips and predictions for the zodiac animals.

Feng Shui Keep Fake Flowers and Plants at a Minimum

Are Creepers and Climbing Plants Bad For Feng Shui?

Are creepers and climbing plants bad for feng shui? Recently, my mum came to the UK to visit us and she noticed that I had a climbing plant outside my son’s room (he lives in an annexe, away from the main house) and wasn’t very pleased with it. She told me that according to feng shui masters, climbing plants is a big no-no for a house. They not only damage our wall structure, but they will also create a strong negative force for everyone living in the home.

Creepers and Climbing Plants Bad Feng Shui

Chinese Superstition: Umbrella Taboo

Several years ago, I wrote an article on Gifts to avoid buying for Chinese People and one of the items is an umbrella. Now I would like to expand on the Chinese superstitions regarding the umbrella taboo in our Chinese culture. In the feng shui study, they believe that used correctly, an umbrella will bring you luck and wealth. However, if you use it wrongly, it will bring you misfortune. Do you believe it?

Chinese Superstition: Umbrella Taboo

Why you should never hang clothing out overnight?

I hadn’t heard of this taboo of never hanging clothing out overnight until I heard from Mr Zhou’s Ghost Stories podcast. Some people believe that hanging clothing at night will attract wandering spirits to get attached to the clothing. It will cause us to have bad luck. I will list a few examples later in the post.

Why you should never hang clothing out overnight?

Chinese Customs To Observe When Moving House

Buying your new home is a very proud moment for you and your family. It is likely one of the most expensive purchases you will make and therefore it’s a big deal for everyone involved. Many Chinese people observe or believe in several Chinese customs.

Chinese Customs To Observe When Moving House

Mahjong Taboo

Many Chinese people are very superstitious, particularly among the elderly and I would include myself in that. If you read the blog post that I wrote earlier this year on the meaning of 15 days of Lunar New Year, you will recall that some Chinese (Taoism and Buddhism) would pray to the God of Wealth for blessing. For this blessing money in Chinese, we called it 偏财 (Piān cái). It is an expected income or floating assets such as bonuses, lottery winnings, stock benefits, etc.

mahjong taboo

Chinese New Year Hong Bao Koi Fish Lantern

Many Chinese believe that fish attracts the chi/good energy that brings good luck, abundance and prosperity (年年有余 Nian Nian You Yu – an abundant and surplus-filled year after year)! The number 9 in feng shui principles is the most auspicious and complete number. Hence in many Chinese paintings, pictures, ponds or aquariums, you will find nine fishes in it. In feng shui, they believe that eight fishes should be red or golden and one should be black (which symbolizes strength).

Chinese New Year Hong Bao Koi Fish Lantern

Moving home? Here are some Chinese interior design tips to keep in mind!

Moving home? Here are some Chinese interior design tips to keep in mind!

Moving house is exciting. If you’ve never lived away from home, you’re finally going to be able to have some independence.

And even if you’re not venturing out alone for the first time, moving house can still be fun. Perhaps you’ll be getting some more space or simply taking the opportunity to downsize.
Regardless, you’re probably frantically scrolling through Pinterest looking for some cool interior design ideas. Either that, or you’ve been taking trips to IKEA, buying everything and anything that takes your fancy. (All the plates! Plastic plants! Endless boxes!)

Spoiler: IKEA is not an ‘aesthetic’. IKEA can help you develop a ‘look’, but you’ll need some inspo to work with.

With that in mind, here are some Chinese-inspired interior décor ideas you should definitely consider.

Chinese interior design tips

3 Feng Shui Tips For Your Wardrobe

We all heard something about Feng Shui – the traditional Chinese philosophy that helps people take care of their life better. It works on many levels in our life, and it works on the premise that what is closest to you has the most impact on your physical and emotional health. And what can be closer to you than your clothing?

Today I am going to share some Feng Shui tips for your wardrobe. To use it or not – it is all up to you, but nothing will change if you won’t make an impact. So do your choices and let’s get to those tips right away.

3 feng shui tips for your wardrobe

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Hello!

Welcome to ET Speaks From Home!

I'm Eileen, a proud mum of two teenagers (aged 18 and 16), my daughter is living with visual impairment. Since launching this blog in May 2012, we’ve continued to grow and evolve, sharing our family’s journey and passions.

I love cooking, crafting, DIY projects, writing about Chinese culture, and creating YouTube reviews.

**Achievements & Recognition:**

* Top 20 UK Parent Blogs (2020)
* Tots100 Top 20 Blog on Twitter (2014)
* Tots100 Top Mummy Vloggers (2015)
* Tots100 Top 20 Vloggers (2016)
* Shortlisted for BritMums Brilliance in Blogging Awards (BiBs), Video Category (2014) Read More…

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