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Superstitions about China Earthquake Worry Some
Written by Robert Vance on May 16, 2008 – 11:50 am“The earthquake happened on Buddha’s birthday,” a friend somberly explained to me yesterday. “I’m afraid that things in China are going to get worse. I have a bad feeling about our country right now.” She went on to explain that while Buddha has no power to create or stop such disasters, she felt that the occurrence of the earthquake on Buddha’s birthday was an ominous sign. My friend is only 25 years old but she is a follower of what she calls ‘Tibetan Buddhism.’ Her husband, who is also a Buddhist, encouraged her to practice the religion.
While the vast majority of people in her generation abandoned religion long ago, there is another ’strange coincidence’ which leaves many of my friends and students uneasy. The earthquake occurred on May 12th, or 5.12. My friends show me how if one adds each individual number together (5 + 1 +2), the sum is 8. The sum is also 8, my students tell me, when one adds together the numbers in the dates of the first snowstorm in China this year (1.25) and the date of the deadly Tibetan protests (3.23). What is the significance of the number ‘8′ in China? Usually ‘8′ is a lucky number; the Chinese sound for ’8′ is ‘ba’ which is similar to the Chinese sound ‘fa’ which means fortune. This year, however, the year of 2008, some Chinese people feel that a cruel trick has been perpetrated upon them. The lucky number ‘8′ seems to have been sinisterly twisted into a symbol of death and destruction. This worry behind this superstition is furthered by the realization that the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics will take place on August 8th, 2008 or 2008/08/08.
But even those who are staunchly non-religious and non-superstitious find these tragic series of events within the first five months of 2008 troubling. “These events are just coincidences,” a student told me today, “but there is no question that this has been a bad year so far for China.” While a few of my friends and students fear that more tragic events could be in store for their country, many others are looking to the Olympics to be the salvation of China. “The earthquake changes nothing about the Olympics,” one of my friends tonight confidently stated. “People will still come to Beijing and we will have the Games.” In the aftermath of the earthquake, Beijing was quick to inform the world that none of the buildings constructed for the Olympics sustained any damage. The earthquake has certainly not caused people in China to lose sight of their sixteen days in the world spotlight in August.
Superstitious or not, the Chinese people have come together in an amazing way to help their fellow citizens in Sichuan. Never before have I witnessed Chinese people so concerned about other people or so willing to donate their time and money to a cause. The government’s transparency through the media and its openness to help from other countries has also amazed many international observers. While it is hard to imagine that any good could come out of such a horrible tragedy, there is at least the hope that this event will produce some positive changes in government policies as well in the way that societies in China interact with each other. In the meantime, people will have their own personal feelings about the meaning of the earthquake but for the most part, Chinese people here are not allowing worry to plague their daily lives. My friends and students are going about their ‘daily business’ and looking forward to better times in China.
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Don’t forget that earthquake measured 7.9, close to 8 in all practical sense.
It is a blessing to hear that the Chinese people are truly showing concern for their fellow men–victims of the 5-8-08 earthquake. Though this truly is a time to grieve, a time to morn, and yes–even a time to weep for those who have lost loved ones, homes, and every earthly treasure. . . it is also a time to pray and to “look to the Heavens” for comfort and strength. If I could be there, my heart would long to comfort these suffering people–who have lost so much. And yet no human words can heal the hurting hearts and despondancy that is being felt.
But in my Bible, I see that God has written words that seem to remind us that He alone can bring comfort, healing and escape form evil.
Psalm 121: 1-9
” I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
Psalm 121 vs 1-8. . . from The Holy Bible
Although we may not fully understand just how these words fit into the tragedy which has just occured, we can be sure that God does care about the heartbreaking sorrow and devastation. He is the only One who can bring understanding and comfort in such a time of confusion and pain. My prayer is that all who have been “touched ” by this horrific disaster, will turn away from speculations, superstition, and other false thinking–and seek out the true God of the Bible. He is the only ONE who can bring peace in the midst of this dark storm–and rest to our souls.
I was a friend of China, recently took place in China’s earthquake has caused the death of 20,000 people this year, China is indeed not a quiet year, but please be assured that any of the Chinese people are strong, the history of 5000 Casting of the Chinese people a strong spirit, we will be building our home, will be dedicated to the world the Olympic Games next perfect, we do not believe that superstition, believe that only force, the spirit!
Few months ago, Dalai lama ever mentioned about China’s recent few flood disasters due to ecology poorly maintained in Tibet Mountain Region by the Chinese.(eg deforrestation) and he sincerely hope to advise China cos he mentioned only Tibetans knows how to take good care of the Tibet’s nature. That’s the reason behind real autonomy for Tibet. Hope China agree soon in order to prevent further castrophe. May I wish all people now suffering in the disaster stop suffering.
What is really worrisome is the way Chinese relate natural disasters to the withdrawal of mandate of heaven. Many emperors lost their empire during years of disasters.
Lily said: Few months ago, Dalai lama ever mentioned about China’s recent few flood disasters due to ecology poorly maintained in Tibet Mountain Region by the Chinese.(eg deforrestation) and he sincerely hope to advise China cos he mentioned only Tibetans knows how to take good care of the Tibet’s nature. That’s the reason behind real autonomy for Tibet. Hope China agree soon in order to prevent further castrophe. May I wish all people now suffering in the disaster stop suffering.
———–
Hi Lily,
I can understand why Dalai the politician made claim such as this, but in reality the Tibetans nomads are largely responsible. There is wide spread over grazing of the land. It is a headche trying to put an end to it.
The Government has banned logging through out China.
Another coincidence:
If you consider the May 12th as Day 0 (5.12 Sichuan earthquake) and count until August 8th (8.08 Beijing Olympics) it is exactly 88 days. And, China Central Television has announced that the official magnitude of the earthquake is now 8.0 It’s pretty scary all these coincidence added up together.
I hope the student who thinks this is a mere coincidence does not major in statistics or business related courses. If you take account of all the chances for each numerical fit related to the number 8 to happen which did as mentioned, in a probablitly calculation, that’s got to be a pretty amazing coincidence.
Also the number 8 that sounds similar to Fa ‘fortune’, also relates to Fa3 the third tone which means Law, which can be related to the Law of Buddha. Maybe the time is arriving or has arrived, the time when the Law without boundary shall judge the people on Earth.
There are good times, and there are bad times. Good times come after bad times. Bad times come after good times. Tomas Edison once said: Success is 90% hardwork and 10% talent. I live in a Tornado zone but never once seen one, and my friend who used to live here moved to London and got hit by their Tornado (when on earth does Tornado happens in London!!). There is a God, but he’s so liberal that he will let you decide how you want to live your life. Superstition or not, we’re all human beings.
@Sean,
Great post. I think there are a lot of Chinese people who refuse to succumb to these superstitions and probably completely agree with you. Well, minus the “There is a God” part of course. It seems to be mainly the younger generation that is wrapped up in this superstition. The older generation remembers the hard times(famines, earthquakes,etc) and believe that these recent tragedies are just part of a cycle in China.