Why Should You Keep A Lucky Frog In Your Home, According To Feng Shui

Unless you're a herpetologist, you might not see any good reasons to keep a statue of a frog in your home. But, we suspect getting to know Chan Chu might make you change your mind. Chan Chu, which is also known as Jin Chan, per House of Good Fortune, is the three-legged amphibian that you might have seen in shops or restaurants, specifically those owned by persons of Chinese descent, per UCI Anthropology.

The statue may not be particularly attractive — in fact, with its beady red eyes and warty skin, Chan Chu may actually be the stuff of nightmares. However, this creature — which is known as a frog to some but a toad to others — is different because it can always be seen sitting on top of money, ingots, or a feng shui mirror known as a bagua. It is also known as a good luck charm that is believed to attract wealth and prosperity, explains UCI Anthropology.

Some stories connect the three-legged amphibian with Liu-Hai, a Daoist God of Wealth, who began as an earthly Minister of State during the Tang Dynasty, but was taught the secret of immortality by Chan Chu, suggests the British Museum. Moreover, Liu-Hai was said to have kept the three-legged frog as a pet, and when the creature would go into hiding, it needed to be paid a coin before it emerged again. Legend says that Chan Chu comes out during the full moon to sit at the entrance of people who might have good luck coming their way.

The Ancient Chinese aren't the only ones who consider frogs to be lucky, they are seen as symbols of good fortune by other cultures too. According to Atlas Obscura, frogs are believed to be good luck because they are always around water, and if a frog was nearby, it meant that a water source was close. House of Good Fortune also says the animal was seen as a good luck charm by the ancient Romans, who linked the animal to Aphrodite, and was seen as a symbol of plenty. In Panama, golden frogs are not only believed to be good luck charms but they are also thought to turn into the precious metal they are named after when they die. And in Japan, a frog is also a charm that is meant to help bring a traveler safely home, notes Discover Amphibians.

Like all things related to feng shui, Chan Chu cannot reside just anywhere in the home, and putting it in the wrong spot could lead to problems. The best place to locate this amulet is near the entrance of your home, states House of Good Fortune. It also needs to face the interior, in order to send good fortune and better finances inside. If you don't have an elevated spot for Chan Chu to rest, get something to position it on because he cannot sit on the floor.

Chan Chu is also said to work more effectively when it is placed where you keep your money or in a bowl of gold coins — which are seen as tokens of good luck and good energy, notes Magicbricks. While one frog is generally more than enough, a home that may have more than its share of debt may want to adopt a few more frogs to add to the living area. Magicbricks also advises keeping one in your home office, behind a computer or a stack of books, to improve your career prospects.