| Chinese Customs And Culture For House Moving |
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1. Find a suitable auspicious day and time according to Tong Shu/Sheng (The Chinese Almanac); the selection of auspicious date should take into consideration of the birth data of the family members, but priority is given to the house-owner/patriarch.
2. Prior the appointed date, light up the house for 3 consecutive nights (do make sure that all the light bulbs are working).
3. At the appointed auspicious day and time (usually before noon and do move in before noon), before entering the house, say a prayer at the door and proclaim that you are the rightful owner of the house and claim for its ownership and possession and politely ask any 'uninvited guest' to leave (or perform religious ritual/rite according to your religious beliefs).
4. Enter the house with your sale and purchase agreement (and marriage certificate for newly wed couple).
5. Before moving other things in, locate and position the altar, and perform the necessary sacred ceremony/rites.
6. Open all the door, windows, lights, water pipe, heater, electricity/gas appliance (to make sure and declare everything is functioning). We clean the energies or Qi in the house by opening all the windows to let fresh air flow through the house.
7. Let the water run and gas burn for approximately 3 minutes - this is to signify the flow of energy/qi in the house.
8. Now invite others to come in (and no one should enter empty handed) Bring the 5 necessities for kitchen (cooking oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, rice) and some Chinese customs say bring a: brush and broom, bucket filled with water, pairs of chopstick or fork and spoon. (Some Chinese even bring a charcoal cooker with burned charcoal from the old/parents' house to symbolize the "Passing on" of a generation or some said, representing a "burning success").
9. Cook some things, boil a kettle of water and cook some things sweet and/or a light meal with your family members.
10. If the furniture was placed in previously [see note below] (they should not be placed at the exact location) position them properly at the appropriate location.
11. If the furniture has not been place in, put them in now.
12. Put NEW money/red pocket at where you should normally keep your money - desk drawer/safe, preferably the wealth corner.
13. Put sweets on all tables and desks - stands for good fortune.
14. Pack enough clothing for (at least) a night stay (because of clause 15).
15. Do make sure that you and the family members stay and sleep for the night after moving in.
Note:
1. Don't move house when there is a pregnant woman in the family, or at least the pregnant woman should not be at the scene on the day of moving.
2. At the day of moving, say good things, and avoid any dispute.
3. Some Chinese folks use mixture of salt and rice for house cleansing purposes, but I believe a prayer would do.
4. After moving in, organize a 'house-warming' party for lunch or dinner; the presence of guests would bring favourable 'Yang/Sheng Qi' to the house.
5. There is no need to move 'everything' in at the appointed date, other minor things can be moved in at a later time.
6. It is Chinese custom to assemble the cooker and the bed on another date (according to auspicious date from the Tong Shu) before the moving in date. But then the cooker should be dis-assembled from its connector, and the bed not placed at its exact intended location. The bed-sheet of the bed should only be made at the moving in day.
7. Any charms or talismans at the old house should be properly disposed off.
There is no need to follow the above rules/recommendations rigidly, as I have pointed out in the heading, it is a custom that was developed and has evolved with time.
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Wilson Chang
Wilson Chang is a Feng Shui scholar with years of experience in researching Chinese culture, tradition, literature an Feng Shui. He is a student of Master Yap Cheng Hai and has studied under a number of other Feng Shui Masters as well. He is very active on quite a few discussion lists. |
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