In America, friends and families throw baby showers for expectant mothers before they give birth. The idea is to give the expectant family gifts ahead of time so that they have plenty of time to set up the nursery before the baby arrives.
In China, it is a taboo to give baby showers before the baby's birth. In fact, it is unlucky to give expectant mothers baby gifts. Chinese people believe that a gift to the unborn might jinx the birth and jeopardize the baby's chance for survival in its early days. In Chinese tradition, which still persists today, no one except for the immediate family is allowed to see the baby and the mother for the first month after birth. After the first month, only friends and family very close to the mother can pay a visit. Extended families and other friends will not see the baby until he or she reaches 100 days. In China, the grandparents of the child will throw a large and lavish banquet to celebrate the newborn's 100th day. This is an occasion for a formal viewing of the baby. Everyone invited to the party will come beating gifts.
The 100th day is an important milestone in a child's life. This is because it signifies that the baby has lived past the first three months during which infant mortality rate has historically been high. Although in today's China most babies born healthy will survive past three months, it was not the case even several decades ago. So, the Chinese did not want to celebrate an addition to the family until they were sure it was going to live. And this tradition has persisted to the present day.
Not only do the Chinese differ in the timing of baby showers, they also differ in the gifts that they give. In the West, baby gifts predominantly consist of clothing, blankets, toys, and nursery items. In China, although people give these types of gifts as well, they are more likely to give traditional lucky charms to the newborn.
Some examples of luck charms are longevity locks (traditional Chinese pad locks), peanuts (still in the shell), and Chinese zodiacs made of 24k gold and hung on a piece of red silk thread. Both red thread and pure gold are believed to ward off evil. Gold is also a symbol of wealth and prosperity for the child. Locks symbolize safety. Longevity locks, like its name indicates, bring the baby a long, peaceful and secure life. Unshelled peanuts are called "changshengguo," or the fruit of long life, in Chinese; therefore, giving a baby a golden peanut charm is wishing him a long, prosperous life. Finally, another popular gift for a baby is a golden charm embossed with the child's Chinese zodiac sign. For example, a child born in the year of the pig will receive a golden pig charm as a good luck gift.
In short, although a Chinese baby will not receive any gifts prior to his birth, he will be showered with gold charms when he reaches 100 days.
(selected from 101 Stories for Foreigners to Understand Chinese People by Yi S. Ellis and Bryan D. Ellis, published by China Intercontinental Press in 2012)
