A Different Kind of Curse

In the past, when you want to build your house or rebuild your house in China, you need to employ skilled builder. Usually the builder will have few disciples that will help him. This group of builders will stay in your house and you need to host them provide them with 3 meals and lodging.

If the builder are ill treated by their employer, they will perform some kind of small magic that will bring ill fate to the owner of the house. This is know as suppressing curse, this is to create trouble to the family that ill treat them. This is why in olden days, builder are well respected and usually they are treated very well by the family that want to build or rebuild their home. This is clearly documented in Lu Ban Jing(魯班經) second chapter.

Suppressing curse are one kind of witchcraft pass down from ancient time. In the past, builder are trained to use this art to ensure their welfare are taken care of. This is because builder are sometimes unfairly treated by their employer, when the builder encounter this will be able to get back at the employer by putting in some curse before the project is completed. When the owner of the house move in, they will meet with problems and cannot sleep well at night. Whole family will meet with serious of unfortunate events.

27 Suppressing Curse

Lu Ban Jing recorded a total of 27 suppressing curse. There are a total of 10 good or lucky curse, these will  enhance the luck of the house and there is a total of 17 bad curse that are used to harm people.

10 lucky curses

1. Putting Ship facing into the house bring good wealth luck (I believe many of you are familiar with this)
2. Using of Bay leaf to enhance scholarly luck
3. Using rice to enhance wealth luck
4. Using Cupressaceae to increase longevity
5. Hide a Chinese brush in the door gap will ensure capable future generation
6. Using 3 connected bamboo leaf and write good luck, peace and safe in each leaf will ensure a safe home.
7. Using 2 ancient coins on the beam will ensure prosperity to everyone staying in the house
8. Using a ink box and a brush will be good for career luck, but if the hair on the brush start to split then the person will be fired.
9. Draw a gourd on the wall, it is good for those studying Chinese metaphysics or practice medicine.’
10. Draw a Official hat on the beam, a belt on the pillar and Official boots on the door sill, this will help anyone staying in the house to pass the official exams.

To break the curse incinerate the item

When you find any item in your house that seems to be surprising curse cast by someone, just throw that item into fire and incinerate it. This should break the curse and the curse will backfire, the person who cast the curse will in turn be curse with the same curse he cast or in worst case die. Of course if it is the above 10 mention good magic, then there is no need to panic.

In modern society, builders are receiving more respects. Thus there isn’t a need to use this type of suppressing curse. And in modern building Lu Ban Jing are not completely applicable anymore. However some of the good spell are still being use to enhance wealth, career or romance luck by some masters.