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[Carrie McLaren <carrie AT stayfreemagazine.org>]

Expectant women hoping for Monkey
Thu 15 January, 2004 04:10

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=439264&section=news


BEIJING (Reuters) - Many expectant Chinese women are trying to delay 
the birth of their children until the Year of the Monkey begins next 
week because they think it will bring them luck, state media says.

"They superstitiously believe that people born in the current Year of 
the Goat are deemed unfortunate," the China Daily newspaper said on 
Thursday.

"Whatever the truth, one thing is for sure -- Year of the Monkey 
babies face a competitive education and career environment because 
they will have many more of them around," it said, quoting the 
Shanghai Morning Post.

The newspaper did not say how the mothers were delaying their 
children's arrival.

The Year of the Monkey -- one of 12 animals that make up the Lunar 
New Year cycle -- begins on January 22.