Golden Pig

"This year it is even more challenging to find primary school places than normal.    There has been an inflow of expatriates moving to Hong Kong, and also a growing trend for rich mainlanders to study at Hong Kong schools.  And apparently 2007 saw a mini-baby-boom across asia because it was thought to be a particularly auspicious 'Golden Pig' year.

2007 was the 'year of the pig' in the chinese 12-year astrological cycle.  Pig years (like dragon years) are considered auspicious years to be born in.

"children born under the pig's patronage will benefit from the animal's image as fat, happy and prosperous...   The pig in general is considered by Chinese as a representative of fortune and luck, with a mild temper and an honest character, so many Chinese parents believe babies born in this year are lucky..."

In 2007 Beijing hospital officials surveying busy birthing and prenatal care wards were predicting a 20 percent increase.   (Im still trying to pin down the stats)

Many couples were acting on a belief that 2007 is not only a Year of the Pig, which comes along once every 12 years, but a Golden Year of the Pig, which comes along once every 60 years and showers extra-powerful blessings on those born during its passage.

" Pig years, which occur every 12 years, are considered auspicious. But [this] one, or so many believe, [is] especially fortunate since it is not just a pig but a golden pig, the first in 60 or even 600 years, depending on which astrologer one consults."   (the economist)

Some even believed that 2007 was a golden fire pig year.  "The Year of the Golden Fire Pig comes only once every 600 years and rumor has it, 2007 is this special year.  It is Golden because the combination of elemental Fire, the sign Pig, and Yin/Yang components bring this year once every six centuries!  It is said that children born under this sign will live in comfort as wealth and luck are always near. The Fire Pig is known to have traits of wealth, prosperity, luck and fertility "  (link)

But it does seem to depend rather on which expert you consult:

Philosophy Professor Song In-chang of Dajeon University, “People born in the Year of the Pig tend to easily make a fortune, but at the same time, they also tend to have an unfortunate destiny of wandering and being unable to stay in one place throughout their lives. Since the theory of relating people’s destiny with time of birth places so much importance on incompatibility or win-win relationships among different elements and factors, there cannot be a year that guarantees nothing but luck to the people.”  (link)

 Ye Chunsheng, a culture researcher at Guangzhou's Sun Yat-Sen University and deputy secretary general of the China Folklore Society, said that belief was mistaken.    "This year is not golden," he said. "It is earthen. The last Golden Year of the Pig was 1971, and the next one should be 2031, with 60 years as the full cycle."    (washington post)

"fire pigs can have trouble controlling their passions, can be egocentric, chaotic and even quite destructive at times in their drive for freedom and beauty".  (Time Magazine)