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Fran Lu

A twitching eye is thought to signal possible health problems in many parts of the world, but in China things are different.
An enduring expression leads Chinese people to have a different perspective on such ticks.
In China, as the old saying goes, “Left eye twitching means fortune, right eye twitching spells disaster.”
For example, in 2010, a woman from Taiwan won NT$389 million (US$12 million) in the lottery and she said her left eye had been twitching for three days before she scooped the prize.

The Post delves deeper into this curious system of beliefs.
Origins
In ancient Chinese mythology, Pangu, the creator of the universe, turns his left eye into the sun and right eye into the moon.
In line with folk beliefs, the left stands for yang, a symbol of light and activity, and the right yin, a mark of darkness and passivity.
It then developed into the theory that a twitching of left eye means good luck is on the way, while the same thing with the right signals bad luck.
Variations
In modern times, people attached meanings to eyelid twitching according to the day and time it happens.
If the left eye twitches on a Wednesday, it means good luck in romantic relationships. But if it happens to the other eye on the same day, it means you will lose your temper over something bad.
Good fortune or a gift is coming your way, however, if the right eye twitches on a Saturday.
To further complicate matters, the time of day the twitching takes place, can also decide whether you are in for a positive or negative experience.
Breaking the spell
To influence eye-twitching outcomes, some people place white paper over their right eye if it twitches.
This is because when the word “white” is paired with “twitch”, the result means “it twitched for nothing”, thereby neutralising the situation.
Others see science as a way out.

Appliance of science
Many hospitals in China post articles to warn that eye twitching could be a sign of health problems instead of luck.
Most commonly, eye twitching is an indicator of stress and exhaustion, resulting from overwork, staring at digital screens for too long and lack of sleep.
In some cases, it may signal diseases such as Parkinsons.


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People & Culture

A complex set of traditional Chinese beliefs has it that an eye twitch provides people with a window into their future fortunes


Chinese folklore contends that having a twitch in your eye, depending on which peeper is flickering and when, is a signal of whether a person is in for some good or bad fortune.


Trending in China

Health in China

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Explainer | Why Chinese superstition can predict future fortunes in the twitching of an eye

A complex set of traditional Chinese beliefs has it that an eye twitch provides people with a window into their future fortunes

Origins