You guys are SO lucky that I didn't post my "Stupid Chinese Bedtime
Stories", like the story of "Don't Draw a Snake With Legs".  The very best
culture story ever told.  The only one that could even come close is the
"Curse of Death" TRUE STORY that I had.

==========
> From: "'The Bear --' Frank Ho" <dkshadow@u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: Sneezing and other silly culture
> 
> On Sun, 30 Jul 1995, Kevin Lew -- 'The Lai-Lai Boy' wrote:
> 
> > Where are these "Japanese culture" books?  I couldn't figure out where 
> > they are located in bookstores.  Most of them just don't carry any.
> 
> Check out Barnes & Noble, their idea of a foreign language section is an 
> area where you can get books toeach you various languages.  Get Theo to 
> take you to the one here at UW.

I can go to any foreign language section of a bookstore and get "How to 
Learn Japanese" books.  They are useless to me.  It's culture that I 
want, and they won't teach it.

Does anybody know how Kiyone and Mihoshi can get a "score" by singing
karaoke?

> >  -- Banging your chopsticks like a drum brings famine.  (Learned this 
> >     when I was in the single-digit age.)
> 
> Sticking your chopsitcks up right into something so that they stand-up is 
> a har-bringer of death.

Sure, that's a different one.  You're probably thinking of the upright 
chopsticks stuck in a bowl of rice, right?

> > Death is a really great fear in Chinese superstition.  You get all kinds 
> > of STOOO-PID things with death.
> 
> Just because you don't understand the reasoning behind them, is no reason 
> to call them stupid.  Silly I'll admit, but then most superstitions are 
> kinda silly, if taken from an outsiders point of view.

You thought that I didn't know what they meant?  Boy, are you mistaken.  
That's one of the things that I know the best.  I know what they mean, and 
they are STILL stupid.  So there.

> >  -- Four is horribly unlucky.  (So buying glasses is a real pain.)
> 
> This is because the number four as pronounced in mandrin chinese is a 
> homonym for "to die".  In fact, each digit has a homonym assigned to it.

Not just Mandarin Chinese.  It's the same in Cantonese.  Japanese know 
this one too.  Fortunately, most of the modern people view it like how most 
gaijin view black cats.  It's something that was once considered "bad 
luck" or "evil", but that's all stereotypical ancient, moronical thinking.

Think about how many things come in sets of four in the U.S.  Dragging
around such stupid-stitions is insane in the U.S.  Only my parents follow
such boneheaded rules.  I've talked to modern Hong Kong people, and they
said, "Why do you still follow such ancient thinking?" 

As for each digit having a homonym associated to it, maybe that's real 
eccentric thinking, because I haven't heard of anything like that for all 
the numbers.  I sure hope that you don't practice such lame rules.  
Imagine reading your paycheck, and your first two numbers are "24".  
Maybe you should quit your job or take a pay cut.  What about your age?  
Is being 24 a DOOMED age?

> >  -- Don't wear white in your hair.  (So like, Kasumi in Ranma 1/2 would 
> >     be considered a total Devil Worshipper.)
> 
> White is the color of death in China, much like the color black is 
> considered the same thing in most "western" countries.

So what?  Can I can wear black clothing in the U.S.?  Can girls wear 
black ribbons in their hair in the U.S. if they wanted?  Oh, but in Asian 
thinking, white is the magical color of mourning and CAN'T be used for 
other purposes.  By the way, I've seen modern Hong Kong movies, and I 
know that they don't follow this ridiculous rule of "santicifying" the 
color white for your hair.  It's something from the past, which is slowly 
but surely disappearing.  I won't miss it.

==========
> From: Ulug M Unligil <ulu@lec.med.utoronto.ca>
> Subject: Re: Sneezing and other silly culture
> 
> On Mon, 31 Jul 1995, 'The Bear --' Frank Ho wrote:
> 
> > This is because the number four as pronounced in mandarin chinese is a 
> > homonym for "to die".  In fact, each digit has a homonym assigned to it.  
> > Combinations of digits are combined in order to form phrases that will 
> > bring about good luck.
> 
> Up here in Toronto, Kentucky Fried Chicken's home delivery phone number 
> is 244-4444.  Not the best place to order from, if you value your life!  ;)

Feh!  Pizza Hut in Austin is 444-4444.  I wonder if my parents would call 
them.

==========
> From: Kyle Matsumura <kylemats@hcc.Hawaii.Edu>
> Subject: Re: Sneezing and other silly culture
> 
> > Sticking your chopsitcks up right into something so that they stand-up is 
> > a har-bringer of death.
> 
> I've done that! I also remember getting hit by my mom when I tried to pass 
> something to someone with my chopsticks.  She said that's bad luck 
> because when bones are cremated they are passed by chop sticks to the 
> container.  

Isn't it great that something as common as chopsticks can be turned from
an eating utensil into something TOTALLY different?  This is probably the
WORST part of Asian culture, as ordinary objects can become
sanctified/cursed items at will depending on how they are USED.  In other 
words, despite your intentions, you can "accidentally" create famine, 
plague, death, or pain using household items.  You can't tell me this is NOT 
silly.

I think Asian culture is cool.  Some of the superstitions are okay.  I 
think that having little good luck charms like omamori or Welcome Cats 
are neat.  They're pretty anyway.

But, if you notice, the BAD luck ones are REALLY annoying.  Usually it's
something REALLY easy to do, like: "If you bang your chopsticks like
drumsticks, then you'll bring on famine."  To adults, this isn't a big
deal.  But, have you ever given chopsticks to kids in the single-digit
age?  What's the FIRST thing they will do?  And my parents would throw a
fit.  STUPID. 

I still can't get over the "right eye twitching" rule, which MY WHOLE
FAMILY believes except me.  If your right eye twitches, then it fortells
bad luck.  So my parents and sisters (yes, EVEN PAN) practically have to
be put on morphine to get over the stress of wondering WHEN AND HOW it
will happen.  It has a 100% accuracy, as Bad Luck Has No Expiration Date,
and Nothing Is Too Big/Small for Bad Luck.  Did you make a bad grade?  Did
you stub your toe?  Did you cut yourself shaving?  Did your 90-year old
great-grandmother die?  It's all bad luck and Proof Positive that it
works! 

> Is that where the japanese custom comes from.  I think there's something 
> like you never give someone something in multiples of 4.  I'm not sure 
> what it means though, I was just raised this way. ^_^

How do you buy any dishes or glasses?  It's all service for four.  
Unlucky numbers is total crock.

> I'm still uncomfortable leaving my shoes on at other peoples houses.  
> Usually I'll just take them off.  

Well I take mine off all the time.  For one thing, it's MUCH more 
comfortable, and you don't mess up the carpet with your shoes.  I don't 
have a problem with it.  I really don't care if it is a cultural thing or 
not, I just like doing it.

BAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKA
     Kevin Lew -- "Grouchy Bear" (as opposed to Dov "Kuma" Sherman)
   Ranma 1/2 Stupid Help Desk and Other Stupid Spam E-mail Addresses:
               ra1628@email.sps.mot.com  (Special Account)
               kasumi@eden.com           (Normal Account)

My apologies to all those those that I may have severely annoyed.  But I 
cannot justify some of these cultural taboos which are TOTALLY ancient.