Lucky numbers
The concept of lucky and unlucky numbers is not unique to China, or any culture really, thought the actual numbers differ everywhere. In China, for instance the number 4 is particularly unlucky while the number 8 has auspicious connotations. Many people see certain sequences of numbers, like phone numbers, as luckier than others. A few months ago Randy was shopping with one of his coworkers for new Beijing phone numbers. She went to more than one location, examined their lists of available numbers, and passed on them until she found one that she liked.
Twice yesterday I was asked, given a selection of numbers, to choose a number of my own. The first time was at a Starbucks for my new discount card. There was a stack of these cards by the register, and instead of giving me the next card in sequence or in the stack, the cashier handed me this sheet. "Choose one," he said,
For me, as an American without a lucky number, I was actually afraid to choose the wrong number, some number that clearly had bad mojo. Now that I look at this image, I wish I would have chosen 1313, not to temp the fates of the unlucky numbers of my own culture, but rather because of the Munsters. But this was just a frequent buyer card, not a number I would ever have to memorize, so it really didn't matter to me which one they gave me. I told him to pick one for me.
Later in the day Randy and I went to get my new Beijing cell phone number. At the China Mobile counter there were lists of available phone numbers on the wall. Great, I thought. I have to choose--AGAIN--and I have no preference, and none looked like numbers that would be easy for me to memorize anyway. When they asked me which one, I just pointed in the direction of the lists and said, "Na ge." That one. Whichever number they read back to me was the one I agreed to.
Twice yesterday I was asked, given a selection of numbers, to choose a number of my own. The first time was at a Starbucks for my new discount card. There was a stack of these cards by the register, and instead of giving me the next card in sequence or in the stack, the cashier handed me this sheet. "Choose one," he said,
For me, as an American without a lucky number, I was actually afraid to choose the wrong number, some number that clearly had bad mojo. Now that I look at this image, I wish I would have chosen 1313, not to temp the fates of the unlucky numbers of my own culture, but rather because of the Munsters. But this was just a frequent buyer card, not a number I would ever have to memorize, so it really didn't matter to me which one they gave me. I told him to pick one for me.
Later in the day Randy and I went to get my new Beijing cell phone number. At the China Mobile counter there were lists of available phone numbers on the wall. Great, I thought. I have to choose--AGAIN--and I have no preference, and none looked like numbers that would be easy for me to memorize anyway. When they asked me which one, I just pointed in the direction of the lists and said, "Na ge." That one. Whichever number they read back to me was the one I agreed to.
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