Year of the pig – maybe not so lucky

In the Chinese lunar calendar, the year of the pig is considered lucky, perhaps because the pig’s form is associated with fullness and excellence or the fact that the pig is the last of the 12 zodiac animals hence associated with ultimate success.

But the baby boom may instead put heavy pressure on hospitals and social resources such as education and employment.

In 2000, the year of the Dragon, also considered a fortunate year, the birth rate went up more than 10,000 on the previous year in one city in the East China province of Zhejiang. Now those children have difficulty entering kindergarten.