People from all over the world have customs and beliefs based on luck and wealth. Throughout history, people have used rituals and items with meanings to try to bring luck and plenty into their lives. Everyone wants to live a happy, successful life, and each spiritual tradition has its special symbols that reflect this.
Chinese Traditions: Harmony and Prosperity
In Chinese society, especially around the Lunar New Year, lucky signs are a big part of traditions. The Five Emperor Coins are the most important of these. These coins were made during the reigns of five wealthy Qing dynasty emperors: Shunzhi, Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong, and Jiaqing. People often string these coins together with red thread and place them in their homes or businesses to attract wealth and repel negative energy. Their auspiciousness in Feng Shui practices is enhanced by their association with a period of economic and military strength in China’s history, much like how specific Rocket Play Casino promo code offers are believed to bring opportunities in gaming settings.
Another prevalent symbol is the Fu (福) character, representing good fortune. Traditionally, this character is displayed upside down on red squares during the New Year. The inversion plays on the Chinese word for “upside down” (倒, dào), which is a homophone for “arrival” (到, dào), thus symbolizing that fortune has arrived.
Mandarin oranges are also integral to New Year celebrations. Their golden hue and round shape symbolize wealth and completeness. Linguistically, the word for mandarin in Cantonese (gam) sounds like “gold,” and in Mandarin (ju), it resembles “luck,” reinforcing their status as tokens of prosperity.
Hinduism: Divine Abundance
Hinduism’s spiritual practices and art are strongly rooted in images and symbols of wealth and good luck. Gajalakshmi, a form of the goddess Lakshmi, is a well-known figure. Gajalakshmi, who is shown with two elephants on either side, stands for wealth, fertility, and ruling power. As seen in stories, she restores the wealth and power of gods like Indra during the Samudra Manthana (churning of the ocean).
The swastika is another important symbol. It is an old sign that means luck and prosperity. The swastika comes from the Sanskrit word svastika, which means “good for health.” It is often used in Hindu ceremonies and decorations.
Japanese Beliefs: Beckoning Wealth
In Japanese society, the Maneki-neko, which means “beckoning cat,” is a well-known charm that is thought to bring its owner luck and wealth. The Maneki-neko is usually shown as a sitting cat with one paw raised in a beckoning motion. It is often put up at the front of shops, restaurants, and other businesses to bring in people and money. The raised paw can mean different things. The left paw is thought to bring in people, while the right paw is thought to bring in money and luck. These figurines usually have a koban coin in their mouths, which stands for wealth, and a collar, bell, and bib on them, which are all classic Edo-era cat accessories. There are different colors of maneki-neko, and each color has a different meaning. For example, gold means wealth and white means purity.
Thai Culture: Inviting Prosperity
An important household deity in Thai society, Nang Kwak stands for good luck, wealth, and bringing customers to businesses. Usually she is shown as a lovely woman wearing traditional red Thai clothes and a golden crown. She is shown sitting or kneeling with her right hand raised in a calling pose, which looks a lot like the Japanese Maneki-neko. People believe that Nang Kwak is a form of Mae Po Sop, the Thai rice goddess, and she is similar to the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. In Thailand, her picture is often put up in shops and homes because people think she brings luck and keeps bad things from happening.
Western Symbols: Luck and Wealth
In Western traditions, certain symbols have long been associated with luck and prosperity.
The horseshoe has been a sign of good luck for a long time. Horseshoes were traditionally made of iron, which was thought to keep away evil spirits. They were often nailed above doors to keep people safe and bring good luck. Different cultures hang the horseshoe in different directions. In some, the ends point upwards to “catch” luck, while in others, they point downwards to “pour” luck on people who walk under them. A common story says that the horseshoe’s defensive powers come from Saint Dunstan, a blacksmith who, according to the story, nailed a horseshoe to the Devil’s hoof, which hurt him terribly.The four-leaf clover is a well-known symbol. It is a rare version of the three-leaf clover. Since you only see them once every 5,000 to 10,000 times, the fact that they are so rare adds to the belief that they bring good luck. The belief that four-leaf clovers are lucky goes back to the Druids in old Celtic cultures.
