It is a Chinese tradition that one should greet another person with auspicious sayings during any festival or family occasion. This is more so true during weddings and the Chinese New Year.

This of course begs the question of how auspicious are all the 'auspicious sayings'? Does it really have any effect on the outcome of the newly married couple or the year ahead?

This article was actually inspired by an incident last year in which a lady called me up to do a BaZi analysis for her and the fiancé. I also did the date selection for the date of wedding for this couple.

After they had tied the knot in a well celebrated ceremony, I thought I would not be hearing from the newlyweds so soon. But less than a week had passed when the young lady called me again.

This time to complain that the 'tai kam che' had not wished them with the greeting that they will live together happily ever after in nuptial bliss. A 'tai kam che' is like the master of ceremonies at a traditional Chinese wedding. It is her duty to guide the couple through the ceremony and also to say the 'auspicious sayings and greetings' before and during the ceremony.

She was concerned by the 'tai kam che' having missed out this particular saying and wondered whether this would plague them with Bad Feng Shui. Having just gotten married, her marriage and partner were naturally foremost in her worries.

'Did your husband greet you with a good morning today?', I asked. "Err... not that I can remember", she replied a little puzzled. "Was today a particularly bad day for you because of this?" I inquired further.

There's your answer right there.

Traditional auspicious sayings and greetings during festive seasons or ceremonies such as weddings are nothing more than 'feel good positive affirmations'. There's nothing 'feng shui' about them. If the MC forgets to wish you something during your wedding, there's no reason to be unduly worried.

It's similar to wishing each other Merry Christmas. It doesn't mean you're going to have a terrible Christmas just because your office colleague or friend forgot to wish you this year.

Likewise, during Chinese New Year, it's only natural to see everyone wishing each other 'Gong Xi Fa Cai', meaning 'Wish You Get Rich'. If this wish had even the slightest power behind it, I am sure everyone in Malaysia celebrating Chinese New Year would have had millions of dollars stashed away by now.

As times changed, people grew with it and it became fashionable to write these auspicious sayings in Chinese Calligraphy and hang them around the house. Like the word 'Fu' for example. Of course it took an odd turn when people actually started believing that they could now grow their wealth by hanging up this character on their wall.

Very soon the Double Happiness character fell prey to this cause as well; initially supposed to mean matrimonial happiness, it now became a 'magical character' that could induce romance and happiness. Simply by hanging it on the wall.

And they call this Feng Shui. I like to call this wishful thinking. Which is not always bad if it is backed up by actions. But sitting around, staring at the character 'Fu' on your wall, waiting for the numbers on the screen (or the newspapers) to tell you that you're now an instant millionaire is not really going to get you anywhere.

Often, people get so caught up in all this that the slightest superstitious information sets them off on another wild goose chase. Practice common sense in all your Feng Shui efforts. It should make some sense at least when you are told something is taboo'.

There is no harm in greeting everyone with an auspicious greeting, after all, nothing like setting your colleagues off on a positive start to their day. You might even want to hang the auspicious calligraphy in your home as part of the interior design or if it inspires you.

But there is nothing Feng Shui about these sayings or the calligraphy other than the psychological uplift they might give you as you go through your day.

Warm wishes for this July.