In the spirit of Saint Patrick’s Day, here is a compiled list of symbols of luck in different cultures:
Symbol: Bamboo
Culture: China
Meaning: The different number of stalks you have means different things. For example: Two stalks means love, three stalks represents wealth, happiness, and a long life, and six stalks means wealth and good luck. However, you usually wouldn’t see someone with four stalks because it is considered rude as a gift because the word four sounds like the Chinese word for death.
Symbol: Four-Leaf Clover
Culture: Irish and Celtic
Meaning: It is believed that the four leaves represent hope, faith, love and luck. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that a person who carried a four-leaf clover with them would be able to see fairies, evil spirits and witches.
Symbol: The Rabbit and Rabbit Foot
Culture: England and North America
Meaning: According to English Superstition, you have to say “rabbit, rabbit, rabbit” on the first day of the month in order to have good luck for that whole month. Rabbits represent prosperity and fertility because of their multiplying ability. In North American tradition, the left rabbit foot brings good luck if a person carries in the left pocket of their pants; this charm is commonly used by gamblers.
Symbol: Laughing Buddha
Culture: Chinese Buddhism
Meaning: He is the Buddha of abundance, wealth and happiness. It is believed that he makes problems disappear and creates a happy environment. It is also believed that if you rub his stomach with a positive attitude everyday that your wishes will be granted.
Symbol: Horseshoe
Culture: Western World
Meaning: It is considered especially lucky if one finds an old horseshoe, which is a charm believed to bring good luck and protect against evil. Some believe that the horseshoe should point down in order to allow good luck to fall out onto the people underneath it. Others believe that it should point upwards in order to catch the luck and ensure that it does not escape.