Everyday Life
Does saying “I am hungry” at New Year mean I will lack food all year?
English translation draft · Based on the Chinese article. This is not a word-for-word translation approved by Master Shengyuan.
Saying you are hungry now does not make you go without enough food all year. After being busy, telling family you are hungry describes your present condition. It does not mean you are always without food or living miserably.
Auspicious New Year words are intended to help everyone start in a good mood rather than constantly feeling unlucky and unfortunate. Expressing an immediate need when hungry differs from repeatedly saying how miserable you are. Distinguishing these meanings removes the need to fear bad luck with every sentence.
I also said at the time that if someone was genuinely extremely poor and continually had no food, then in my understanding of faith, that year might be very difficult. Being busy for a while and saying you are hungry now is not that situation.
So during New Year, you can speak kindly and exchange blessings while naturally telling family how you feel. You do not need to become afraid even to say you are hungry.