A: Is everything decided for your wedding ceremony?

    B: Not the exact date. We need to consult a special calendar to avoid the Egyptian days.

    Note: In China, as in many other places around the world, there are certain days commonly thought to be unlucky throughout the year. Popular almanacs would list them as days on which to avoid such important activities as weddings, moving into a new home and traveling. No one knows why certain days are considered unlucky. Although it is not known for sure why they are referred to as the Egyptian days, it’s possible that they were first computed by Egyptian astrologers or were somehow related to the Egyptian plagues. They are also known as the dismal days, from Latin dies mali, meaning “evil days.”