Why do so many people wish to have a Ao Yun Bao Bao?

Why do so many people wish to have a Ao Yun Bao Bao?
Mar 22, 2008 02:36
JIMMYB Points: Join Date: Feb 7, 2007 Status: offline	Do you know "Ao Yun Bao Bao"? It refers to those babies who were born or are going to be born in 2008, to be precise, born during the Beijing Summer Games or on August 8th in 2008. It seems that many parents wish to have a Ao Yun Bao Bao this year. According to the news, there will be about 18 million infants born this year. Really horrible! I just don't understand why they want a baby this year. Wish to be blessed with prosperity? If it was true, the population explosion will appear. Here is a report from CNN. Beijing journal: An Olympic-sized baby boom By Steven Jiang The obstetrician at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, one of the city's premier health facilities, has seen her maternity ward filled to capacity since the beginning of last year. "We have had to add beds in the hallway," said Dr. Xu one recent evening after a 10-hour shift. "We have been delivering 150 babies a month -- 50 percent more than before." The scene at Dr. Xu's hospital is merely the tip of the iceberg. Last year Beijing welcomed some 170,000 newborns, a near 3-percent increase from 2006, state media reported. Many attributed the boom to the Chinese zodiac. Since 2007 was the Year of the Pig, women across the country reportedly timed their pregnancies to give birth to so-called "golden pig babies," who are said to be blessed with prosperity. "People really still believe in this kind of association," observed Dr. Xu, who joined the hospital three years ago. "When I was interning here during the Year of the Sheep a few years ago, the ward was noticeably quieter." "Tradition says to avoid giving birth during the Years of Ox, Horse and Sheep. They are all grazing animals, and babies born under these signs will have a hard life." This year marks the return of the rat, normally an unpopular sign as well. Many potential parents, however, appear to be viewing 2008 as the year China hosts the world's biggest sporting event for the first time. News stories abound about couples eagerly awaiting the arrival of their historic and auspicious "Olympic babies," with 18 million infants estimated to be born nationwide this year. Some local newspapers have even reported pregnant women requesting to deliver on August 8, by Cesarean section if necessary, to coincide with the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. "I have had patients who picked a specific hour after consulting fortune-tellers," Dr. Xu recalled. "We have to say no to such requests -- we can't endanger the mother's and baby's well-being for a supposedly lucky birth date." With 2009 being the Year of the Ox, Dr. Xu is not expecting a break anytime soon. Although this is still a grazing animal, she thinks the lack of distinction between "oxen" and "bulls" in Chinese may give the year a new economic appeal. "With the stock markets in the doldrums, I bet many parents would love to have a 'bull baby' to bring about a bull market," Dr. Xu predicted.

Mar 22, 2008 02:36

JIMMYB
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Join Date: Feb 7, 2007
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Do you know "Ao Yun Bao Bao"? It refers to those babies who were born or are going to be born in 2008, to be precise, born during the Beijing Summer Games or on August 8th in 2008. It seems that many parents wish to have a Ao Yun Bao Bao this year. According to the news, there will be about 18 million infants born this year. Really horrible! I just don't understand why they want a baby this year. Wish to be blessed with prosperity? If it was true, the population explosion will appear.

Here is a report from CNN.

Beijing journal: An Olympic-sized baby boom
By Steven Jiang

The obstetrician at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, one of the city's premier health facilities, has seen her maternity ward filled to capacity since the beginning of last year.

"We have had to add beds in the hallway," said Dr. Xu one recent evening after a 10-hour shift. "We have been delivering 150 babies a month -- 50 percent more than before."

The scene at Dr. Xu's hospital is merely the tip of the iceberg. Last year Beijing welcomed some 170,000 newborns, a near 3-percent increase from 2006, state media reported.

Many attributed the boom to the Chinese zodiac. Since 2007 was the Year of the Pig, women across the country reportedly timed their pregnancies to give birth to so-called "golden pig babies," who are said to be blessed with prosperity.

"People really still believe in this kind of association," observed Dr. Xu, who joined the hospital three years ago.

"When I was interning here during the Year of the Sheep a few years ago, the ward was noticeably quieter."

"Tradition says to avoid giving birth during the Years of Ox, Horse and Sheep. They are all grazing animals, and babies born under these signs will have a hard life."
This year marks the return of the rat, normally an unpopular sign as well. Many potential parents, however, appear to be viewing 2008 as the year China hosts the world's biggest sporting event for the first time.

News stories abound about couples eagerly awaiting the arrival of their historic and auspicious "Olympic babies," with 18 million infants estimated to be born nationwide this year.

Some local newspapers have even reported pregnant women requesting to deliver on August 8, by Cesarean section if necessary, to coincide with the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

"I have had patients who picked a specific hour after consulting fortune-tellers," Dr. Xu recalled. "We have to say no to such requests -- we can't endanger the mother's and baby's well-being for a supposedly lucky birth date."

With 2009 being the Year of the Ox, Dr. Xu is not expecting a break anytime soon. Although this is still a grazing animal, she thinks the lack of distinction between "oxen" and "bulls" in Chinese may give the year a new economic appeal.
"With the stock markets in the doldrums, I bet many parents would love to have a 'bull baby' to bring about a bull market," Dr. Xu predicted.

Mar 22, 2008 19:52	#1
SHESGOTTOBE Points: Join Date: Nov 23, 2007 Status: Offline	So much for population control. But hey, people want to have children whether there is Olympics or not. I don’t really understand the hype of the Olympics or any Olympics for that matter since I’m not a fan of any professional sports or athlete. I don’t really understand their value. To each his/her own I guess.

Mar 22, 2008 23:02	#2
LEONARDO Points: Join Date: May 21, 2007 Status: Offline	Superstition rages! " Eight" is a lucky number. Just look at the exact time of the commencement of the Openning Ceremony, (Beijing Time 2008/08/08 8:00 PM) you will understand the forthcoming baby boom. Anyhow, I like the time two. Otherwise, I will have to miss the Openning Ceremony.

Mar 23, 2008 02:31	#3
RITA Points: Join Date: May 10, 2005 Status: Offline	Because they want their babies born at the same year with millions of other babies, so their children will enjoy competing with others children for opportunities of better schools, better universities, fight for girlfriends/boyfriends, and fight for jobs later..... So they will have a harder life

Mar 24, 2008 21:22	#4
BBQQ Points: Join Date: Feb 7, 2007 Status: Offline	Rita, you'd better give a lesson to these parents. BTW, if there was a year of bear, I guess that no one will have their baby in that year because they don't want their child to be bearish as the stock market (just kidding).

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