Origin of strange customs abroad

There are different forms of strange customs in every corner of the world, from black cats to stairs and "God bless you". But where do these superstitions come from? Today, Xiaobian is doing his best to answer this question: the astonishing origins of the 25 strange customs that are popular today.

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1. Ace of spades (card of death) Although some people insist that the Ace of spades represents that death originated in medieval Europe, this superstition first came to people's attention during the "Mafia" period of the 1830s, when two bandits were murdered and died with the Ace of spades in their hands. Since then, the ace of spades has represented death and murder.

2. Sailor whistles represent bad luck for sailors and sailors. It is said that whistling is a challenge to the wind, and the result of doing so is a storm. Another legend says that whistling began to represent bad luck after the mutiny of the British ship HMS Bounty; Fletcher Christian is said to have used the whistle as a signal to revolt against Captain William Bligh.

3. A broken mirror can bring seven years of bad luck. In ancient Greece, people often turned to "mirror soothsayers" for help. These soothsayers judged the luck of the person who asked for help by studying the reflection in the mirror. Historian Milton Goldsmith explained in his book "Signs, Omens and Supertitons" that this divination is done through water and mirrors. This divination is called catoptromancy. During divination, the patient looks at a mirror immersed in water. If the patient's image is distorted in the mirror, he cannot recover; otherwise, he will survive.

4. Indoor umbrellas can bring bad luck. According to Charles Panati's Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things, when metal-framed umbrellas became popular in 18th century London, these umbrellas 'stiff, cumbersome spring systems allowed them to cause harm to the surroundings when opened indoors. If such an umbrella suddenly opens in a small room, it may cause serious injuries to adults and children, or even break fragile objects. Therefore, in order to prevent holding umbrellas indoors, such a superstition was born.

5. Black Cat Many cultures believe that black cats are a very powerful sign. Ancient Egyptians believed that it was a good thing to encounter a black cat while walking, while medieval Europeans believed that black cats were a symbol of evil and the best companion for witches.

6. Wish you good luck (wish you break a leg)"Wish you break a leg" is a slang term widely used in theaters to wish performers "good luck"(funny enough, actually saying the word "good luck" is actually a curse). There are several explanations about the origin of this superstition. The oldest and most credible account holds that in ancient Greece, people did not clap their hands while playing a theater. Instead, people stomped their feet hard to express their love for the performance. If they stomp their feet long enough, they will break one of their legs.

7. Crossing your fingers is probably the most widely used superstition today. The superstition that the intersection of two fingers (middle and index fingers) on the same hand represents hope or a prayer for a particular event stems from Christianity. People believe that when fingers are crossed, evil spirits can be prevented from ruining good luck.

8. In the 1st century AD, Ptolemy believed that the appearance of meteors meant that the gods were looking down on the earth. Therefore, when people see a meteor streaking in the sky, they make a wish.

9. The words "God bless you" and "God bless you" are thanks to Pope Gregory the Great. In the 6th century AD, bubonic plague spread in Italy. The initial symptoms are very severe, with a prolonged sneeze and immediate death. At that time, Pope Gregory urged healthy people to pray for their patients, and believed that the original sentence "I wish you a long and healthy life" he said when he saw others sneezing was not enough and should be replaced with a more powerful "God bless you!"

10. Greedy for money (itchy palms) According to a radio show in the 1830s, The Origin of Popular Superstition, this superstition originated from the Saxons, who believed that skin diseases could be cured by rubbing them with silver.

The superstition of Black Friday the 13th may at first glance be related to the superstition of the number 13, but the official term used by Paraskeviekatriaphobia to describe people who believe that the 13th of each month brings bad luck comes from Christianity rather than Norse mythology. Christians believe that Jesus was crucified on the cross on Friday, and the total number of guests at the Last Supper was 13, and the 13th person was Judas, the traitor.

12.13 The fear of thirteen comes from Norse mythology. In a famous myth, twelve gods were invited to a dinner at the Temple of Valhalla. The arrival of the evil god Loki ruined the dinner party and reduced the number of attendees to 13. The subsequent bad luck suffered by the participants made 13 a cursed number.

13.13 Most people in the building may associate the 13th floor with the number 13, but this superstition actually stems from when skyscrapers first appeared, New York architectural critics warned developers not to exceed the 13th floor. These experts insist that buildings more than 13th floors will increase street congestion, create huge shadows and reduce property values.

14.39 In some areas of Afghanistan, because 39 is related to prostitution, when people talk about this number, they will associate it with curses and shame for these bad things. No one can say clearly the source of this superstition, but it is generally believed that it is related to a pimp who is said to live in the western Afghan city of Herat. The license plate of his luxury car and apartment are both 39, so people call him "39."

15.4-11-44 This popular musical superstition actually originated from an illegal lottery gambling in the United States in the 19th century. The gameplay is that there are numbers from 1 to 78 on a big roulette wheel. Gamblers choose three numbers to bet. The three numbers to which the roulette wheel turns will be the result of today's lottery. During the Civil War, the three numbers 4, 1, and 44 were particularly popular. This form of gambling was particularly popular among poor African-American men, which explains why 4-11-44 was widely used in later blues and jazz music.

16. Lucky rabbit feet It's not so uncommon for people to carry rabbit feet around for good luck. Rabbit feet are not difficult to find. They can be found in the trash cans at pharmacy check-outs or can be won from pinball machines. This tradition was first brought to the United States by African slaves and is one of the oldest superstitions in the world, dating back to approximately 600 AD.

17. Shoes on the table This less common superstition holds that if someone puts their shoes on the table, they will suffer bad luck-family strife or the threat of death for family members. Because new shoes used to be held in place by spikes, scratches would occur if they were placed on a new table without wearing them-this is the origin of this superstition.

18. "Metal courtesy" gesture Metal courtesy has many uses and meanings, but most people understand it through heavy rock and heavy metal music. But the gesture first appeared in India, where Gautama Buddha often used it as a handprint to dispel evil and remove obstacles such as illness or negative thoughts.

19. The Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating dates back to 2000 (and possibly longer), when the Celts believed that dead souls still existed in the world and needed supplies of food and drink. Failure to provide such supplies will cause dissatisfaction among these souls, and in retaliation, they will inevitably bring trouble and bad luck to people.

20. The superstition that passing under tilted ladders brings bad luck originated in ancient Egypt 5000 years ago. A sloping ladder forms a triangle with the wall, which the Egyptians considered sacred and inviolable (such as a pyramid). For the Egyptians, this shape represented the trinity of the gods, and passing through any triangle was blasphemy against the gods.

21. Wishing wells come from European folklore (Germanic and Celtic tribes) and are said to fulfill all wishes made. Because water is the source of life and is often very rare, people believe that spirits live in the water, or that gods leave divinity in the water as a gift to humans.

22. The origin of the wishing bone From 800 to 900 BC, the Etruscans came to the Italian peninsula and created the history of civilization there. At the same time, they also pioneered divination-such as scattering grains on the ground to form a circle, which is divided into different areas based on letters, and then asking a hen to peck the grains. The hen was then slaughtered and its clavicle was taken out separately and dried in the sun. Etruscans who wanted inspiration from the oracle needed to pick up the bone, gently stroke it (rather than tear it off), and make a wish; this is where the "wishing bone" came from.

23. When we talk about our good luck, we knock twice quickly on a piece of wood to continue the good luck. But do you know where this superstition comes from? This is actually because in many non-Christian groups and other cultures, the image of trees is worshipped or deified. Some people use the tree as an oracle, others incorporate it into religious rituals, while others, such as the ancient Celts, view the tree as the home of certain souls and gods.

24. Hanging horseshoes on doors brings good luck. The people who believed in the magic of horseshoes can trace their roots to the Greeks, who believed that the element of iron itself could drive away bad luck. And the horseshoe is not only made of iron, but also shaped like a crescent moon. For the Greeks, the new moon symbolizes good harvest and good luck.

25. Overthrown salt For thousands of years, spilled salt has been thought to bring bad luck. About 3500 AD, the ancient Sumerians became the first people to eat crabs-they sprinkled a pinch of salt on their left shoulder-to prove that such superstitions were unfounded. The move later spread to Egypt, Assyria and later Greece.