The golden pig cohort
Feb 8th 2007 | BEIJING
From The Economist print edition

As China enters an auspicious year, the birth rate is expected to
soar

HOSPITALS across China are bracing themselves for what is expected to
be a surge of babies born in the year of the pig, which starts on
February 18th. Pig years, which occur every 12 years, are considered
auspicious. But the coming one, or so many believe, will be
especially fortunate since it is not just a pig but a golden pig, the
first in 60 or even 600 years, depending on which astrologer one
consults.

China’s state-owned media have carried numerous stories of
gynaecologists struggling to cope with unusual numbers of expectant
women. Life Times, a weekly newspaper, quoted an official as saying
that Beijing alone could see 170,000 births this year, 50,000 more
than in 2006 (quite an auspicious year itself). The increase is
partly the result of a mini-baby boom in the 1980s, which was in turn
caused by a boom two decades earlier. But officials say the golden
pig has much to answer for.

In recent years, Hong Kong has become a magnet for urban Chinese
women trying to evade China’s strict one-child policy and enjoy
better standards of hospital care (often free since many leave
without paying their bills). But those hoping for a golden pig baby
in Hong Kong will face difficulties. To stem the influx, Hong Kong
introduced new rules on February 1st requiring mainland women who are
more than seven months pregnant to prove they have a hospital booking
in the territory before they can cross the border.

China’s top family-planning official, Zhang Weiqing, said last month
that given the current bulge in the number of people reaching
childbearing age, the government would not relax its one-child
policy. This will probably mean that the golden pig’s impact on the
birth rate will be followed by a correction once the auspicious
period is over (next year is also being tipped as lucky, what with
the Olympics and all).

But problems are bound to arise as the golden pig cohort reaches
school age. In some parts of China, children born in 2000, the year
of the dragon (also very auspicious, as suggested by the chart), are
already facing stiffer than usual competition for places. In Shanghai
last week, deputies to the local legislature’s advisory body called
on city planners to start taking account of auspicious years when
considering education demand. They also appealed to citizens to
abandon superstition, but that is much less likely to be heeded.

Related Posts

• Parenting transracial (TR) children If you are parenting TR children (a child with a different race than your own), it is especially important to give them a sense of themselves. But no matter what children you parented or are...
• China's surplus of sons This article is very articulate about the problem. This is a problem not just for China, but for the world. As a dear Chinese friend of mine said to me many years ago, China is...
• Fukoji Bells on New Year's Eve A friend posted this on another list. It was the first time I'd heard of it. I am touched by it on a variety of levels. There's something to be said for having a community...
• Into the New Year Seems like the holiday season and the New Year just rushed on by and it's taken me a while to get to where I have many free moments. But there are some things to share......
• The year of the frog(s) I don't know about you, but we have had more frogs this year than I can ever remember. These are not the tiny tree frogs that make so much noise. These are bigger garden variety...

Related Websites

• WTTC signals continued growth and room for improvement in China and SARs The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) presented today its brand new report on China, China Hong Kong SAR and China Macau SAR: The Impact...
• Beware The Chinese Stock Market On the front page of today’s South China Morning Post, there’s a quote from Li Ka-shing, Asia’s richest man. As a Chinese, I am worried...
• Verizon spent $1.3 million dollars each day to improve 3G in California last year Verizon spent $1.3 million dollars each day to improve 3G in California last year by Greg Kumparak on February 10, 2010 This is Verizon’s 3G...
• How To Pay Off Your House In 3 Years! Previously, I had complained about the content in CNN's Money's Millionaires in the Making. Its always a rehash of rich people who're saving their extra...
• Long Term Care Insurance may be State Income Tax Deductibility I learned something yesterday that I figured I would share with my readers.  Not sure how many of readers actually own Long Term Care Insurance...

Online Stores

• Hong Kong Asia, Middle East Coins World Coins Paper Money
• Current Year, Next Year Calendars Paper Collectibles
• Baby Phat Women Discount Fragrances Store

If you liked this article, vote for it on del.icio.us and stumbleupon.


Categories:

China, Travel