Thousands of couples across Asia swamped marriage registries and held mass weddings last Friday, believing that a quirk of the calendar makes 11/11/11 the most auspicious date in a century.
In China, the world’s most populous country, registries were packed with couples wanting to wed on the date that has been recognized as an unofficial “singles’ day” since the 1990s because it is made up entirely of the number one.
Traditionally seen in China as a good day to marry and leave the single life behind, this year’s Nov. 11 is viewed as particularly special because the year also ends in the number 11.
Photo: Reuters
照片:路透
In the commercial capital Shanghai alone, nearly 5,000 couples got married, while in the eastern Chinese city of Jining, 68 couples tied the knot together at a mass wedding.
In Vietnam, 80 couples planned to get hitched at a mass wedding to be held in Ho Chi Minh city — the largest ever for the country’s commercial capital.
Some people also believe the date is lucky because if you add the numbers in the date — six times one plus two — the total is eight, traditionally a lucky number because it sounds like part of the Chinese phrase for “get rich.”
Photo: AFP
照片:法新社
In South Korea, hospital officials moved to debunk reports that the number of women seeking Caesarean operations on the day had jumped as mothers sought to give their children that special birth date.
But in Singapore, whose population is dominated by ethnic Chinese, the Registry of Marriages predicted a high turnout, with 574 bookings for the day — five times the typical number. (AFP)
亞洲各國數千名伴侶上週五擠爆結婚登記所並集體舉辦婚禮,因為該日日期11/11/11的特殊組合,讓他們相信這天是本世紀最吉祥的一天。
世界上人口最多的中國,其結婚登記所擠滿登記結婚的伴侶,他們選在這個全由數字一所組成的十一月十一日─也就是自一九九○年代起的非官方「單身日」─登記結婚。
這在中國傳統上是一個結婚並且擺脫單身生活的大喜之日,今年年份的末兩個數字也碰巧都是一,所以今年的十一月十一日更是意義非凡。
單單在商業之都上海就有五千對伴侶結婚,而中國東部城市濟寧就有六十八對在集體婚禮完成終身大事。
在越南有八十對伴侶參加在胡志明市舉行的集體婚禮,這是在該國商業首都有史以來最多對新人的婚禮。
有些人也相信該日期是幸運的,因為若你將日期加總運算─六乘一加二─得到八這個數字,該數字傳統上因為發音近似中文發財的「發」,所以傳統上被視為一個幸運數字。
據南韓當地報導指稱,因為母親們要給孩子這個特別的出生日期,所以選定該日進行剖腹產的女性暴增,但當地醫院揭露這項報導是錯誤的。
在由華裔人口為主的新加坡,結婚登記所估算當天就有五百七十四對這個很高的結婚登記出席對數,在該日登記結婚─比平常對數多出五倍。(法新社/翻譯:林亞蒂)
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