We are a restless breed, we dragons, never really satisfied; we love change for its own sake.
– Donn Kushner, Canadian writer
To answer the question, “Do the Chinese prefer Dragon babies?” I don’t think it’s a rule religiously followed by Chinese couples.
Imagine, a couple having to wait every 12 years to have a baby born in the Year of the Dragon. That does not sound logical or sensible.
But there is certainly a preference for a Dragon baby, that is if the Dragon year is nearer the time a couple wishes to have one.
This is because the dragon is often considered a symbol of power, strength and good luck in Chinese culture.
Because of this symbolism, some Chinese couples may express a preference for having a baby born in the Year of the Dragon according to the Chinese zodiac.
It’s no secret that many Chinese talk about famous people born in the Dragon Year because of its symbolism. We do not hear people singing praises for those born in the Year of the Pig, Dog or Snake, for example.
Even for someone like me who pays scant attention to the zodiac, I can also mention two well-known names born in the auspicious Year of the Dragon.
The first to come to mind is Bruce Lee Siao Loong – the legendary martial artist and actor. His Chinese name, Siao Loong means ‘little dragon’.
Lee was born on Nov 27, 1940, making him a Dragon according to the Chinese zodiac. He revolutionised martial arts cinema and remains an icon of martial arts mastery.
The second famous Dragon I can recall is John Lennon – the influential musician and co-founder of The Beatles. He was born on Oct 9, 1940, also making him a Dragon. Lennon’s music and activism left an indelible mark on the world.
To many of my generation, Lee and Lennon were our idols in the kungfu flicks and the music world. That they were also Dragon babies added to the adulation.
So, why is the Dragon babies subject this week? It was the Chinese New Year message from Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Feb 9 that first caught my attention.
Alluding to the dragon as a “symbol of power, strength and good fortune, now is as good a time as any for young couples to add a ‘little dragon’ to your family,” he told his fellow Singaporeans.
The prime minister noted that fertility rates around the world have been declining, especially in ‘developed societies’ such as Singapore.
But Singapore being Singapore where the government seems to have a ready solution to every issue, Lee declared that “we will build a ‘Singapore Made for Families’, and continue supporting the marriage and parenthood aspirations of young Singaporeans.”
The incentives are already in place. According to Lee, support for infant caregiving and work-life harmony has been “progressively strengthened” to see parents through their children’s formative years. The government-paid paternity leave was recently doubled from two weeks to four weeks voluntarily.
“Couples will decide whether to have children for their reasons. I hope more will decide to go ahead, and I am confident they will find parenthood a deeply rewarding and fulfilling journey.”
Lee expressed the hope that his encouragement “will prompt more couples to try for a baby”, although he acknowledged that “the decision is a very personal one”.
Back home, I also took note of the concerns over the declining birth rates of the Chinese Malaysian community by Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin.
Sim echoed the Singapore premier’s hope that the auspicious Year of the Dragon might see an increase, noting that the Chinese-Malaysian birth rate has been declining for the past 25 years.
“In 2022, only about 40,000 Chinese babies were born, vis-a-vis 423,124 total babies. That’s less than 10 per cent of total live births,” he said.
The Penang MP pointed to several reasons such as individuals staying single, marrying late, choosing to stop at one child, keeping a double income without children or choosing to migrate to other countries.
“I think this has to be discussed by the Chinese community. There is no single solution. It is everyone’s effort. To reverse the declining birth rate, everyone must play a role,” Sim added.
Somehow, I do not see the declining birth rate of the Chinese as a problem. I prefer to view the issue holistically and practically.
After all, are Chinese not practical people? We can have 10 children but what quality of life can we offer them, assuming that we are only an average family?
The Chinese are probably more aware than others of the consequences of having large families if they do not have the means to support them.
Overall, while there’s no universally agreed-upon threshold for what constitutes ‘too many’ children, individuals and societies need to consider the practical, emotional and environmental implications of family size.
Access to family planning education and services can help individuals make informed decisions about family size based on their circumstances and values.
So, Dragon Year or not, to each his own, folks.
Well, I wish there was another Bruce Lee Siao Loong, though. This ‘little dragon’ is truly one of a kind!
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
