Why the Year of the Dragon doesn’t bode well for China’s declining population
The Chinese Year of the Dragon is seen as an auspicious year to have a baby — but that doesn't necessarily mean a boost for the country’s declining population.
The Chinese Year of the Dragon is widely perceived in the Asia-Pacific region to be an auspicious year to have a baby — but it hasn’t meant well for the country’s declining population.
“Dragon babies” are expected to be successful in their careers and bring blessings to the family, according to Jacelyn Phang, feng shui master at Yuan Zhong Siu. In this zodiac cycle, those born between Feb. 10, 2024, and Jan. 28, 2025, will be classified as “Dragon babies.”
“People aspire to have their babies born in the dragon year believing that children will inherit extraordinary leadership traits and be able to gather influential power and achieve great personal success,” Phang told CNBC.
While people in China also hold these beliefs, birth rates in the country have actually fallen during the “Dragon Years.”
Compared with the preceding years in the zodiac calendar, birth rates in China fell by more than 4% during 1988 and 2000, and by 9% in 2012, according to the country’s statistics bureau. Birth rates refer to the number of babies born in a year per 1,000 people.
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