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Chinese couples chicken out of Rooster year weddings

BEIJING: Couples across China are rushing to get married in the next few days before the Year of the Rooster, chickening out of what they believe to be a jinxed time to tie the knot. This year the lunar cycle begins relatively late, on Feb. 9, which means it will not contain “lichun”, the auspicious day that marks the start of spring, earning it the dubious distinction of being a “widow year”, or unlucky for wedlock. Chinese media have reported that marriage registrations are soaring around the country as people scramble to get hitched in the last days of the Year of the Monkey. “Business is normally low for us this time of year, but this year, in keeping with traditional Chinese beliefs, many people want to get married before the spring festival and we have lots of customers,” said Ms. Wang, manager of Beijing’s Luowei wedding photo studio. The phenomenon normally occurs on average about every nine years. The last “widow” year came in 2002 and sparked a similar marriage rush. reuters

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