According to Chinese superstition, there are certain years that spell disaster for marriage, notably ones with no li chun (beginning of Spring). This happens when the New Year dates on the solar calendar and lunar calendar don't tally, and the beginning of Spring comes before the first day of the Chinese New Year.
A lunar year with no li chun is said to be a bad omen because it's a year with no fresh beginnings. Some would call this the widow year (also gua fu nian or "blind" year) and happens more often than you think — 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019 are all such years.
It is said that tragedy would befall couples who marry on a widow year, such as a husband's sudden death. How true is this? "If every single woman became a widow, then I would believe it. But there's simply no logic because I myself got married on a widow year," says feng shui expert David Tong of CMG Consulting.
He advises couples to ignore the hearsay. There will always be good timings for marriage throughout the year where your bazi is in harmony and zodiacs are compatible.
"The widow year is just purely a difference in the time period between two different calendars. It won't have any impact on your marriage. Most classical feng shui masters don't even consider this a factor when selecting an auspicious wedding date."
What about couples who've booked their banquet on a widow year? Tong advises, "As long as the solemnisation is held on a good date, it's alright to go ahead with the banquet on the date booked."
Couples should consult feng shui masters to determine the date and time that suit them the most. If left to chance, not pinning down the correct dates may also lead to disaster. "One couple I know kept quarrelling with their family, and another groom's bridal car broke down en route to his bride's house and delayed the entire tea ceremony," he reveals.
