Lunar New Year sparks a possible baby boom in China

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Amid unprecedented economic boom and warmest winter, Chinese people today flocked to local temples, parks, restaurants and burst firecrackers to ring-in the first day of the Lunar New Year, ushering in the 'Year of the Golden Pig'. The pig is one of the 12 animals on the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, which follows the lunar calendar. According to Chinese astrology, people born in pig years are polite, honest, hardworking and loyal.

The year 2007 is the 'Year of the Pig,' based on the lunar calendar. But it is not just an ordinary pig, it is a 'golden pig.' According to some fortune-tellers, it is going to be the 'Year of the Golden Pig' which comes every 60 years.

If you were born in 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983 or 1995 - you were born under the sign of the pig. Like the pig, you are highly regarded for your chilvary and pureness of heart, and you often make friends for life. For pigs in 2007, any recent setbacks or obstacles can be overcome so look forward to a year in which to really shine, either personally or professionally.

Babies born in the 'year of the golden pig' are believed to have good fortune and will lead a comfortable and wealthy life. More significantly, they are lucky with money and business, which is why hospitals around the mainland are gearing up for a baby boom.An official in Beijing said the capital city alone could see 1.7 live births this year, up 50,000 from 2006.

In the Communist nation's gleaming commercial hub, Shanghai, authorities expect 7,000 more births this year, while in Hong Kong, the number could rise 11 per cent, media reports said.

Beijing had no snow on the eve of the Lunar New Year, but when people woke up in the morning today, they saw the streets covered by a carpet of red scraps of paper, debris of last night's fireworks.

Even though Lunar New Year celebrations generally last for only several days, starting on New Year's Eve, the festival itself is actually about three weeks long. It begins on the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, the day, it is believed, when various gods ascend to heaven to pay their respects and report on household affairs to the Jade Emperor, the supreme Taoist deity. According to tradition, households busily honor these gods by burning ritualistic paper money to provide for their traveling expenses. Another ritual is to smear malt sugar on the lips of the Kitchen God, one of the traveling deities, to ensure that he either submits a favorable report to the Jade Emperor or keeps silent.

Next, "spring couplets" are hung up around the house. Spring couplets are paper scrolls and squares inscribed with blessings and auspicious words, such as "good fortune," "wealth," "longevity," and "springtime." The paper squares are usually pasted upside down, because the Mandarin word for "upside down," dao, is a homonym of the word "arrival." Thus, the paper squares represent the "arrival" of spring and the "coming" of prosperous times.

On Lunar New Year's Eve, family members who are no longer living at home make a special effort to return home for reunion and share in a sumptuous meal. At that time, family members hand out hong bao, or "lucky money" in red envelopes, to elders and children. They also try to stay up all night to welcome the New Year, as it was long believed that by doing so on New Year's Eve, their parents would live a longer life. Thus, lights are kept on the entire night--not just to drive away Nian, as in ancient times, but also as an excuse to make the most of the family get-together. In addition, some families even hold religious ceremonies after midnight to welcome the God of the New Year into their homes, a ritual that is often concluded with a huge barrage of firecrackers.

The first order of business on Lunar New Year's Day is offering ritual homage to one's ancestors. Reverence is then paid to the gods, followed by younger family members paying their respects to their living elders. New clothes are worn, and visits are made to friends, neighbors, and relatives to exchange good wishes of gong si fa cai, which means "congratulations and prosperity." As an occasion for reconciliation, it's a time when old grudges are cast aside amidst an atmosphere of warmth and friendliness.

One of the most spectacular sights during the Lunar New Year Festival is the dragon and lion dance. The heads of these fearsome beasts are supposed to ward off evil, and the nimble movements of the dancers provide a grand spectacle enjoyable to everyone.

The second day of the Lunar New Year Festival is the day that married daughters return to their parents' home. If she is a newlywed, her husband must accompany her and bring gifts for her family. According to a charming legend, the third day of the Lunar New Year is the day when mice marry off their daughters. Thus, on that night, people are supposed to go to bed early so that the mice can perform their wedding ceremonies.

Markets are bustling with people buying food for the Lunar New Year holidays.
On the fourth day, the fervor begins to ebb. In the afternoon, people prepare offerings of food to welcome the return of the Kitchen God and his retinue from their trip to the Jade Emperor's court. The Kitchen God's return signifies the end of freedom from spiritual surveillance, hence the popular saying: "It's never too early to send off the gods, and never too late to invite them back."

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Lunar New Year sparks a possible baby boom in China

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