Taboos in business

[Photo from 01ny.cn]

Nanyang's business has been well developed since the Han Dynasty (206 BC–AD 220). Meanwhile, various business taboos have appeared with the prosperous commerce.

To make sure a day's trading goes successfully and smoothly, store owners avoid losing the first deal, especially after bargaining for a long time. To avoid a whole day's bad luck, store owners usually make as many concessions as possible in price on the first deal.

Whether there are customers or not in a store, the storekeeper and store assistants should not stretch, yawn, sit on the threshold or tap the account table, nor should they sit or stand with their backs facing outward or put the abacus upside down. All these actions will be regarded as disrespect to the god of wealth.

In Dengzhou and the surrounding counties, a store sweeper should not pick up petty cash found on the floor. Instead, he or she should dump it with the garbage to show that the store owner has plenty of money.

In Tongbai and Tanghe, customers are not allowed to return or exchange goods in the morning, to avoid unsuccessful business.

Merchants in Nanyang generally avoid leaving home on the seventh, 17th and 27th day of a lunar month. Instead they prefer to choose the third, sixth and ninth day of a month.