In Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore, it is believed that the Year of the Tiger is an unlucky birth sign. This is due to the Chinese zodiac cycle repeating every 12 years, and the Year of the Tiger is regarded as the most perilous year. Because the Year of the Dragon is considered the most auspicious year, birth rates in these countries rise every year.
This superstition is supported by historical facts. A massive earthquake struck Taiwan in the Year of the Tiger, 1802, killing nearly 4,000 people. A disastrous flood swept over Hong Kong in the Year of the Tiger, 1866, killing nearly 1,000 people.
A plague epidemic ravaged Singapore in the Year of the Tiger, 1898, killing nearly 10,000 people.As a result, it is not surprising that many parents in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore choose to postpone or avoid having children in the Year of the Tiger.