ThirstyFish

This mini mural, "Our Vision of Chinatown" is endorsed by the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. The Chinese Character in the photo is "Fu"; the Chinese word for good fortune, luck and wealth. During the Spring Festival, 福 is displayed on the entrance of virtually every Chinese household, almost universally positioned upside down. Although there are many stories explaining why "fu" is posted upside down, another Chinese Word, doa "upside down" is homophonous with the word "arrive", therefore, the upside down fu, symbolizes the "arrival of good luck".

The Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) was on January 23, 2012, a day after the above photograph was taken. This year is the "Year of the Dragon", the most favored of the 12 Chinese Zodiac signs. Many couples across Asia are scrambling to give birth to dragon babies. Especially boys born in the Year of the Dragon are believed to be destined to be successful and wealthy. While this boom will yield an economic boost throughout Asia, many officials are worried that there will be lot of pressure on hospitals, kindergartens and schools. Different cultures view luck in different ways. For some, luck is just random chance. For others it is related to beliefs, faith or superstition.

Song of the Day: Born Under A Bad Sign - Albert King (1967)