Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The municipal government of Beijing has produced an ordinance requiring construction companies to use even "unlucky" numbers in the numbering of addresses, doors and floors. This is the first time in the history of modern China that a government has waged a war on superstition.

In China, the most unlucky number is the number four, the pronunciation of which is similar to the word "death." This is why hospitals everyone tries to avoid bed number 4, or the 4^th floor, wanting to stay alive as much as possible. 4 is avoided in phone numbers, dates of marriage and home addresses. Very often in buildings the 4^th floor does not exist, replaced instead by a 3B or 5A.

On the other hand, there are "lucky" numbers that are much sought after such as the number eight (ba), for example, the sound is similar to "prosperous" and "rich" and 5 (wu), which indicates something without limits (wealth, happiness, etc. ...), nine (qiu) sounds like "enduring, eternal." There are people who pay extra to get a phone number with a lot of "8's" or a car plate with "8" and "9".

From now on residents will be unable to discard bad luck numbers, or search for luckey ones at all costs.

As of August 25, every new buildings in the capital must correctly number the addresses, apartments, floors, blocks and door numbers according to the pure numerical progression, leaving no room for kabbalistic superstition.

According to Xinhua, in an internet survey, at least 46% agreed with this directive that finally undermines the old superstitions. But a hard core of 22% said that instead the tradition should be respected. The Chinese government itself, only four years ago, he decided to start the Olympic Games in Beijing on August 8th (eighth month), at 8:08 in the evening!