It's the Year of the Pig and, across China, hospitals are preparing for an influx of pregnant women. Pig years have always been popular times for giving birth, as pig babies are regarded as easy-going and lucky.
But 2007 will see a baby boom on a scale that threatens to overwhelm the mainland's health-care system. In Beijing alone, 150,000 babies are expected, up from the 129,000 born last year, according to the city's health bureau.
This, though, is a media-induced baby boom. For the mainland press, 2007 is not only a pig year but a 'golden pig year'. Every 60 years, in the Chinese zodiac, the element of gold coincides with the Year of the Pig. Golden pig babies are believed to be doubly blessed, and can expect riches and a long life.
Over the past few weeks, newspapers haven't missed a chance to emphasise the auspicious nature of 2007. Advertising companies, too, have been quick to capitalise. Golden pigs smile down from adverts for everything from beer to sweets.
But not on CCTV. Last month, the government instructed it to ban all advertising that featured pigs or references to them. The reason behind the ban was to avoid offending China's 20 million Muslims, for whom pigs are taboo.
It's a surprising move, as the authorities rarely let the concerns of their ethnic minorities affect the majority Han population.
But people can still buy a special set of official 'Year of the Piglet' stamps: they feature Winnie the Pooh's sidekick Piglet, a character whose copyright is owned by the Walt Disney Corp.