Superstitions about China Earthquake Worry Some

TeachAbroadChina.com ^ | 5/16/2008 | Robert Vance

[robertvance]

“The earthquake happened on Buddha’s birthday,” a friend somberly explained to me yesterday. “I’m afraid that things in China are going to get worse. I have a bad feeling about our country right now.” She went on to explain that while Buddha has no power to create or stop such disasters, she felt that the occurrence of the earthquake on Buddha’s birthday was an ominous sign. My friend is only 25 years old but she is a follower of what she calls ‘Tibetan Buddhism.’ Her husband, who is also a Buddhist, encouraged her to practice the religion.

[robertvance]

I'm not a superstitious person but there are some strange coincidences linking three tragic events in China this year.

[malia]

Welcome to FreeRepublic!!

[VeniVidiVici]

She went on to explain that while Buddha has no power to create or stop such disasters, she felt that the occurrence of the earthquake on Buddha’s birthday was an ominous sign.

Well then, the only possible explanation is that Buddha pissed-off Shiva.

[edcoil]

Welcome to FR. Buddha is having problems in Burma as well.

[redstateconfidential]

Somebody ground up the wrong Dragon Bones?

[TigersEye]

I'm not a superstitious person but there are some strange coincidences linking three tragic events in China this year.

You mean other than the numerology nonsense presented in the article? Pray tell what coincidences?

[Hetty_Fauxvert]

My friend is only 25 years old but she is a follower of what she calls ‘Tibetan Buddhism.’

What does her age have to do with her religion? And btw, "Tibetan Buddhism" is in fact referred to as "Tibetan Buddhism" by the majority of its adherents, to distinguish it from types of Buddhism practiced in other countries (a bit like distinguishing between a Baptist and an Episcopalian). This sentence is like saying, "My friend is only 25 years old but she is a follower of what she calls 'Christianity.'" Huh?

[gdzla]

How silly. Everyone knows the earthquake, like the cyclones, are a direct result of man made global waring.

[gdzla]

meant to type “warming”
Sorry.

[BigCinBigD]

This would explain why,when I visited my favorite Chinese food place last weekend. Everyone was wearing helmets.

[robertvance]

Hetty,

I’m guessing that you didn’t bother to read the whole article. Just a sentence later I make reference to the fact that most people her age “abandoned religion long ago.” If you are familiar with the young generation in China these days, you will know that it is rare to encounter someone in that age group who practices Buddhism.

As far as “Tibetan Buddhism” is concerned, this was the exact phrasing that she used and she wanted to make sure that I knew that it was not Thailand Buddhism that she was practicing.

[Bender2]

Re: While the vast majority of people in her generation abandoned religion long ago, there is another ’strange coincidence’ which leaves many of my friends and students uneasy. The earthquake occurred on May 12th, or 5.12. My friends show me how if one adds each individual number together (5 + 1 +2), the sum is 8. The sum is also 8, my students tell me, when one adds together the numbers in the dates of the first snowstorm in China this year (1.25) and the date of the deadly Tibetan protests (3.23). What is the significance of the number ‘8′ in China? Usually ‘8′ is a lucky number; the Chinese sound for ’8′ is ‘ba’ which is similar to the Chinese sound ‘fa’ which means fortune. This year, however, the year of 2008, some Chinese people feel that a cruel trick has been perpetrated upon them. The lucky number ‘8′ seems to have been sinisterly twisted into a symbol of death and destruction. This worry behind this superstition is furthered by the realization that the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics will take place on August 8th, 2008 or 2008/08/08.

Well, in Dallas, Texas, some years ago, the local ABC station, WFAA Channel 8, had the slogan, "it is great to be 8!"

[Chode]

badkarma...

[forestgaogao]

God Bless China, President HuJinTao and our citizens,Troops and their families .as the Chinese,i believe the Chinese can overcome the difficult ,and we also can build a new hometown.

also thanks the USA help