Taiwanese folk custom of "gift taboos"

1. It is forbidden to give a hand towel to others. In the past, Taiwanese folk mourners sent towels to mourners after a funeral, in order to cut off contact with the deceased. Therefore, there is a saying in Taiwan that "giving a towel will cut off the roots." Therefore, under normal circumstances, if you give a towel to someone, it will not help but remind people of unlucky funerals and the meaning of severance and farewell.

2. It is forbidden to give fans to others. Fans are cheap and fragile, and are used to fan cool in summer. When it is cold in autumn, there will be "autumn fans", which means that they are too heartless and will be thrown away after using them and ruthlessly abandoned. There is a saying among Taiwanese people: "Send a fan and see you forever", which is based on this mentality. Young men and women who are in love give fans to imply that they are cold and that they are dishonest. Therefore, never give fans as gifts to others.

3. It is forbidden to give scissors to others. Scissors are sharp weapons that hurt people, and they mean "one cut and two cuts" and "one cut and two cuts". Giving scissors will make people feel ill intentions. Therefore, never give scissors to others.

4. It is forbidden to give umbrellas to others. Taiwanese "umbrella" and "san" are the same as each other. If you give an umbrella to someone, it still means giving "san" to the other party, and Taiwanese "rain" and "ge" agree. "Umbrella" and "Geisan" are the same as each other, which will inevitably cause misunderstanding.

5. It is forbidden to give a mirror to others. Because mirrors are easy to break,"a broken mirror is difficult to round." There is also the intention of asking people to look in the mirror and have a good look at themselves.

6. It is forbidden to send people off with bells. Because "bell" and "end" sound the same. Sending the bell will remind people of "sending the dead" and easily arouse the disgust of friends.

7. It is forbidden to give sweet fruits to others. Sweet fruits, or rice cakes, are a must-have for Taiwanese people when worshipping their gods and ancestors during the New Year. However, steaming food is strictly prohibited during mourning. Therefore, if you give sweet fruits to someone, it will remind the recipient of a funeral at home. Naturally, it should be taboo.

8. It is forbidden to give rice dumplings to others. It is customary for Taiwanese folk mourners to neither steam sweet fruits nor give rice dumplings. If you give rice dumplings to someone, it will be misunderstood as treating the other party as a funeral home, so it is also a taboo.

9. It is forbidden to give ducks as "moon meat" to others. "Moon meat" refers to the meat eaten by women within one month of giving birth. The "moon meat" they eat is usually "hot" foods such as sesame oil duck, pork loin, and liver. Ducks are "cold" and should not be eaten by them. Moreover, there are proverbs in Taiwan such as "dead ducks keep their mouths closed" and "ducks in July and don't know when they will die." If ducks are used as a congratulatory gift, people will think of an ominous omen.