People's Perspectives


After interviewing a group of teenagers, young adults and middle-aged adults, we've come to see their perspectives about Chinese Beliefs and Superstitions, and its fast-fading existence and broaden our insight on the different views each group have on this topic. It is actually interesting to see that most of them share the same views over following and believing Chinese superstitions, in that they feel that it is all right to follow such superstitions so long as it does not bring them inconvenience to a large extent or require a large sum of money. To them, which include the teenagers, young adults and a middle-aged adult, all of which English speaking, feel that they believe such superstitions as a precaution, as adhering to it will not bring about any harm, and also it keeps the Chinese tradition passed down from their parents.

All of them learn their beliefs from their parents and old traditional Chinese relatives. Most of our interviewees choose to belief Chinese superstitions only to a certain extent, as after all, if they know that something will bring about bad luck, they will choose to avoid it and be wary of it. Most of them also agree that westernization and globalization, in the age of a new world, is the main factor causing the slight fading existence of Chinese superstitions and beliefs. They feel that westernization culture is affecting many of the young people nowadays, and that more of them are following such culture so much so that they forget their roots and choose western culture over Chinese traditional culture, as to their peers, it is 'cool' to be western, and do things like a western. Hence, most of our interviewees feel that this factor is a major concern to Chinese superstitions fading in our young generation.

However, there was an exception. A middle-aged Chinese-speaking adult share totally contrasting views about this topic. When asked about the fading existence of Chinese superstitions and beliefs in our young generation, he feels that it is actually a good trend, as now teenagers being educated in the area of science and technology knows how to decipher what is true and what is right for them. Hence, he feels that such fading existence lies in the factor of better educated teenagers, knowing that superstitions are just traditional superstitions that are passed down from generation to generation and have no proof or grounds to support it. They are merely certain superstitions that are derived by certain coincidental phenomena, and with no solid evidence whatsoever, to prove that it will happen time and time again, and cannot withstand the scientific method and falsifications. He also singled out westernization as a small reason to this trend, but however still feels that education is the most important reason why teenagers choose not to belief so much in the Chinese superstitions as before.

In conclusion, having seen many sides of the story, and analyzing the interviews on the different thoughts and perspectives, we can only conclude that Chinese superstitions and beliefs are fading very slowly, but many people still choose to follow such superstitions just as a precaution and also as a respect to the Chinese culture. Although many of them are still following such superstitions, one can be sure that they are just merely doing it for the sake of doing it, but they do not belief the truth of such superstitions as strong as before anymore. Hence, we may not know what might happen in the future, but one thing for sure is that, such Chinese beliefs and superstitions are fading slowly.