During the Chinese New Year celebration in both mainland China and Taiwan, traditional customs are observed to ensure good luck and fortune for the coming year. One common practice on the first day of the Lunar New Year is to refrain from cleaning and doing laundry. It is believed that sweeping or washing on this day may sweep away good luck and wealth, affecting one’s fortune for the entire year. If cleaning is necessary, it is done selectively inside the house, and any trash is placed in a corner until it can be disposed of on the second or fifth day, symbolizing the accumulation of wealth.
Legend has it that the first and second days of the Lunar New Year are the birthday of the Water God, hence washing clothes on these days is avoided out of respect for the deity to avoid causing offense.
In some traditional households, cleaning is done before New Year’s Eve to avoid any activity on the first day, aiming for a fresh start and auspicious beginnings.
According to reports, traditional customs in mainland China also include the practice where married women visit their parents’ home on the second day of the Lunar New Year. It is a day for daughters who are married to bring gifts and their families to visit their parents and siblings to convey blessings and affection.
However, in modern society, many people may not strictly adhere to this tradition and may adjust the practice based on family arrangements, choosing alternative days for family visits.
Similar customs are also observed in Taiwan on the second day of the Lunar New Year, resembling those in many regions of mainland China, though there may be slight variations in the details. The flexibility of modern lifestyle may lead to adjustments in specific timing and practices.
For example, a Taiwanese spouse from Anhui Province, He Zhuying, who has been in Taiwan for 12 years, shared that in her hometown, there isn’t a tradition of visiting the parents on the second day of the Lunar New Year. Instead, the day is spent welcoming guests at home, with the male head of the household visiting relatives. This practice of “visiting relatives” refers to paying respects to various family members during the New Year period. The male head of the household may bring children to visit maternal relatives, while the female head of the household remains at home to receive guests. Once the male head finishes visiting relatives, then the female head may also go to visit relatives.
Overall, He Zhuying emphasized that customs and traditions vary greatly across different regions in China, highlighting the diversity of practices even within a single province. In her rural community, it is customary for married daughters not to visit their parents on the second day of the Lunar New Year, but this does not necessarily apply to all areas, as every locality has its unique customs.
He Zhuying further explained that on the first day of the Lunar New Year, avoiding cleaning, doing laundry, and washing hair is a common practice. Accumulating more trash like melon seeds and fruit peels on the floor is considered auspicious, as the laziness of not cleaning signifies the retention of joy and luck at home, reflecting the belief that being lazier on the first day actually brings greater fortune at the start of the new year.