Marissa Brassfield
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Superstar

The 2008 Beijing Olympics brought China’s blend of ancient culture and up-to-the-minute innovations to the forefront of world news. Much of Chinese culture is still misunderstood, but it remains a fascination to outsiders.

For example, did you know that the number 8 is considered to be the luckiest in China? It sounds just like the word for ‘prosper’ or ‘wealth,’ two qualities that superstitious Chinese families believe they will attract by seeking out the number 8 whenever possible. The Chinese also believe that the more often a lucky number is repeated, the luckier it gets. That’s why the Beijing Olympics began on August 8, 2008 (8/8/08). In China, phone numbers and street addresses that feature high concentrations of eights are in particularly high demand.

In keeping with this tradition, we’ve featured 88 items that originated from or were inspired by China. Although the cultural significance of some of these products are more Chinese take-out than Great Wall of China, they are ubiquitous nevertheless.