非七月也是禁忌的事 Other Non-month Bond Taboos

1)     撿拾路上物品

在民俗信仰中，這些路上的物品可能是別人想轉運而放置；這運勢會因撿拾而轉嫁到動貪念之人身上。在這社會中也有一種近年較少見的儀式：冥婚，這儀式便是從撿拾路上物品開始。我認為這禁忌的根本是希望世人皆不貪，讓失主能找回自己遺失的物品，是種體恤他人的心。

Picking up lost objects

It is traditionally believed that the unattended objects are a conduit for transferring karmas. Anyone who takes the objects will inherit the karma. Although it is rarely performed nowadays, it can also be the beginning of a marriage - a marriage to the perished. I believe the taboo rooted in empathy for others. We want people to leave those things alone so the owners can find them at those places if they trace back their steps.

2)     贈送時鐘

在中文裡這是很不吉祥的一件事，因為發音相近於送終，會被視為詛咒他人早逝。有些人會將錶也歸於此類，也可能因此不小心得罪人，所以比較不建議以鐘錶類作為禮品。

Giving clock as a gift

In Mandarin, this is rather inauspicious. For the pronunciation of the action is similar to that of attending someone’s burial service. It is considered as cursing someone to his early grave. Some people may also file watch under this category. Therefore, it would be safe to avoid any type of time telling instrument as a gift.

3)     將筷子豎立於食物上

依據長者的說法是，這是項存在於喪禮中的一個環節。在飯桌上出現是相當失禮的，因此許多台灣人在不使用筷子時會將筷子平放於飯碗上，或是架於箸架上。

Erecting the chopsticks on food

According to elders, this is performed during burial services. Thus, it is really rude to have it on the dinner table. Most of the Taiwanese would lay down the chopsticks on the rim of a bowl or on a chopstick rest.

4)     贈送雨傘或扇

傘或扇和散音近，贈送雨傘有就此分散的意思。

Having umbrella or fan as a gift

The pronunciation of an umbrella or a fan is close to the Mandarin word of săn or sàn which means to separate. Therefore, they are not really the ideal gift.

5)     贈送鞋子

鞋子是意象上希望對方離開，所以不能送

Shoes as a gift

The reason for it is more on the symbolic meaning, for it is a way to tell the person to go away.

以下物品現代人較不那麼忌諱

In modern lives, the following is not as offensive as the above, but they are still tabooed by some.

1)     贈送毛巾手帕

在台語中贈送毛巾這動作的發音tīng kun似「斷根」 (tn̄g kun)，有斬斷此份友誼情緣的意思。

Sending towel or handkerchief as a gift

In Tai-gi the action of giving towel or handkerchief is called tīng kun pretty similar to tn̄g kun, which means cutting off the roots. Hence, the gift bears the meaning of cutting all ties with the receiver.

2)     贈送刀具利刃

刀具利刃用於切開斷開物品，因此也具有不吉的意象，所以也不可以送。

Blades as gifts

Blades like kitchen knives or scissors also bear the inauspicious meaning of cutting ties with someone, so they are not the best gift ideas.

通常我們會在收禮時將十元或一元交給贈送這些禮品的人，以化解這些較為忌諱的禮物。

Once received any kind of gifts that bear the inauspicious meanings, it is traditionally performed to give the giver 1 NTD or 10 NTD as some kind of counteract to the omen.