Title: Eating Apples (China/Hong Kong)

General Information About Item:

• Customary Folklore: Pre-test custom, superstition
• Language: English
• Country of Origin: China/Hong Kong
• Informant: DT
• Date Collected: 11/01/21

Informant Data: DT was born in 2000 and then raised his whole life in Hong Kong. After taking a gap year where he studied at a small university in Hong Kong, he is currently a member of the Class of 2025 at Dartmouth College and is studying Government and Economics. His mother is Chinese and his father’s cultural background is primarily Eastern European. 

Contextual Data:

• Cultural Context:  In Chinese, the pronunciation of the word “apple” is the same as the word “safety.” Additionally, my informant shared with me that in Chinese culture there is a great stress on doing well academically and thus following superstitions related to tests and exams is a widespread practice. 
• Social Context: DT shared with me that during the weeks in which there would be midterm or final exams, the cafeterias at universities in Hong Kong would serve apples and apple dishes since it is believed that if you eat an apple(s) prior to your exam, you will safely pass it. The informant expressed that this was common practice at high schools and universities in both Hong Kong and China and has been occurring for decades, citing that his mother took part in this superstition when she was attending university in Hong Kong herself. 

Item: In China/Hong Kong, eating apples before taking an exam will help you safely pass said exam.

Associated File

Transcript:

• “During the exam period, I would walk into the cafeteria and notice the usually untouched basket of apples, empty. In the dessert section there would be apple pies and everyone would take a slice.” 

Informant’s Comments:

• My informant mentioned that he found it strange at first that when midterms were taking place here at Dartmouth, there wasn’t an influx of apple consumption. He noted that it made him realize how cultural this superstition was.

Collector’s Comments:

• I enjoyed hearing from my informant about this superstition and how he continued it once he came to Dartmouth, but I would likely not partake in this superstition myself. 

Collector’s Name: Claire Macedonia

Tags/Keywords:

• Superstition 
• China
• Hong Kong
• Apples