Bad omens

The widespread belief in bad omens and the lengths people in Taiwan will go to avoid them are two of this for the visitor that stand out the most. Death or disaster-related comments or jokes are nearly certain to cause audible cringes from those nearby and can make certain persons noticeably tense. For instance, many Taiwanese may believe that a seemingly innocent statement like "she's going to get herself killed walking in front of all that traffic" will truly occur. This is not to argue that cautionary advice is improper; rather, it means that such advice should not be followed by a description of what might happen if it is disregarded.

This helps to explain why so many Taiwanese refuse to create last wills out of fear that such action will hasten their own demise. In Taiwan, actions that indicate the concept that something bad could happen are likewise commonly avoided. Giving someone a handkerchief, for instance, is not advised because it suggests that they could be about to cry. White flowers, which are customary during funerals and are associated with death, should also be avoided. It is advisable to select various colors if you want to give someone flowers.

Even words or phrases that invoke thoughts of death can be offensive. The most egregious example of this is when the Chinese character for "four" (s), when pronounced incorrectly, can also imply "to die" (s). Giving clocks as presents is particularly absurd because the Mandarin verb "to give a clock" (sngzhng) has the same pronunciation as the verb "to attend a funeral."