The Chinese believes in lotsa Feng Shui and also lotsa pantang larang (taboos).

 

Pantang Larang during Wedding

Pantang Larang during Pregnancy

Pantang Larang during Moving Home

Pantang Larang during Chinese New Year

Pantang Larang during ‘Ghost Month’

& more more…….

 

When we finally moved to our new home, we sort of practice or follow some of the ‘pantang larang’ too. Since people already mentioned what is suppose and whats not suppose…so we tried to follow lor. Some may think it sounds ridiculous. Well..we just try to accommodate the simple and non-complicated ones.

I managed to get the info from this webbie. HOUSE OF FENG SHUI

• Find a suitable auspicious date and time according to The Chinese Almanac （通胜）.The birth data of the family members （八字), priority of which goes to the head of the family is calculated and factored for best results. This should be done in consultation with a qualified professional. – I only refer to Lilian Too’s calender.
• Light up the strategic locations within the home the day before the official moving in date.- I only light up on the day we moved in.
• On the appointed day and hour, open the main door with your right hand.- hurrmm….I think should be right hand, since all of us are right-handed.
• Say a silent prayer and proclaim you are the rightful owner taking possession of your home. – Didn’t do.
• The head of the family enters the home with his left foot in first over any steps or threshold with the sales agreement, marriage certificate, bank accounts and all documents of relevance and value to the family. – Didn’t do.
• Perform the rites or ceremonies you have privately arranged including any consecration or positioning of the altar. – We do not have any altar in our home.
• Open all doors and windows to allow the flow of energies. Sprinkle handfuls of salt and rice mixture at corners of each space, followed by space clearing with a singing bowl. – Ohh…this one we did. Sprinkled mixture of rice+salt+tea leaves on every corners surrounding our home.
• Light up and turn on water pipes, gas and electrical appliances in order to declare the preparedness and perfect function of your new home. – Hurrmm..we do not have gas..but we did turn on the water pipes.
• Light up a stove with charcoal to symbolize a bright career, warmth at home and the ‘passing on from one generation to the next’. Put a kettle over the stove to boil. – Ohh…we did this. We do not have kettle, but we used a pot.
• Receive a ceremonial red packet and place it at the bottom of the wooden rice urn. Fill it up with rice to the brim and stick a red and gold sticker that denotes ‘Fullness’ （满). – Didn’t do.
• The lady of the house will now follow into the kitchen with the five essentials to ensure a stable supply of food on the table. They are a bottle each of cooking oil, soy sauce and vinegar plus a packet of salt and sugar. Throw in your pots, pans, bowls, chopsticks, forks and spoons. – Didn’t do.
• The children will troop in with buckets, pails and cleaning aids. Leave the broom to a later day. – Didn’t do
• Move in your safe into the Northwest sector of the house or a location as advised by your consultant. Request for another red packet from an elder to symbolize continuation and expansion of the family’s fortune. – Didn’t do.
• The lady of the house now puts up the fresh flowers arrangement in the living room area. This may include Orchids (representing purity), Magnolia (for nobility) and Lily (of good fortune and desires). – Didn’t do.
• You could also include a basket of fresh fruits comprising Oranges (for prosperity), Apples (for safety), Pineapple (for good fortune), Pomegranate (for opportunities) and Peaches (for good health).– Didn’t do.
• Symbols of good fortune found in various customs also include a platter of Prosperity Cakes （发糕） for good luck, Turnip Cakes （顺糕） for an obstacles-free life and the Peach Cakes （桃糕） for longevity. These are very Asian and localized delicacies, which are not commonly found elsewhere. – Didn’t do.
• Moving in is reserved strictly for immediate family members and should not include guests. The house-warming party is a separate matter. – Pheww..luckily I did not invite friends but just my family members.
• Cook a meal and serve tea with the boiled water from the stove. Allow the charcoal to burn out before cleaning it up and then filling it up with fresh charcoal to be place under the cooking cabinet (to ensure stability of income and uninterrupted supply of food on the table). – Mom cooks ‘Bihun Goreng’.

Hung the red cloth at the main door before lighting the stove.

The flaming charcoal stove…

With help from hubby & my brother to move the stove into our house and place it in the middle of the living hall. (for about 1/2 to 1 hour)

***Finally Alex and I own a HOME, after so long. We are now living happily***