LUCKY # 8; More Taiwan Facts

TAIWAN'S 2008 SUMMER OLYPMIC SYMBOL

LUCKY NUMBER EIGHT. We accepted the Referral of Brooke on 08-08-08. The Number 8 is considered a lucky number in China, like some Americans consider number 7 lucky. I hope our judge notices this and speed up our court process!! It should come as no surprise that the Olympic games in China start on Friday August 8, 2008 or 08/08/08. Brooke's birthday is filled with eights. 6-28-08 (6+2=8, 8 -08). Andrews lucky number shoud be 9. His birthday is filled with 9's: 5-4-99 (5+4=9, 99).

In China you have to pay extra to have the number 8 in your phone number or license plate. In addition, home and business owners like to have the number 8 in their civic address.

If you turn the number eight 90 degrees horizontally, it becomes “infinity” in math or “eternity” philosophy. In Chinese Astrology, perfect balance is considered the ideal. You can slice the number 8 in half vertically or horizontally, and both halves mirror themselves perfectly. Again, perfect symmetry lends itself to perfect balance. The number 8 in Chinese is pronounced “baat” and sounds like “faat” meaning “prosperity” or “wealth” As well, 88 means “double wealth” or “double prosperity”.

The number 4 is considered unlucky, just like we view the number 13. The number 4 is pronounced “sei” and it resembles the word “death”. 44 is super unlucky as it means “double death”. It is not uncommon to see no 4th floor in Vancouver or Richmond Condos and high rises, but you do see number 13. In fact, you don’t see floors 14, 24, and 34! The number 14 is considered to be one of the unluckiest numbers in Chinese culture, as it is literally translated to “ten die” or “want to die?”. So, when Chinese people and people from the West live in the same building in Beijing, it makes numbering apartment floors fairly complicated.

One example... (see picture above). Notice the floors that are missing: 4, 13, 14. Presumably the exclusion of these floors makes the building lucky enough for people of all nationalities and superstitions.