China's Couples Welcome 08-08-08
By George Thomas
CBN News Senior Reporter
August 8, 2008
CBNNews.com - BEIJING, China - Shen Lina and Wang Bin have been waiting for this moment for years.
"We've been planning this for seven years ever since Beijing won the Olympic bid in 2001," Lina said.
Lina and Bin were one of tens of thousands of couples in Beijing who chose the 08-08-08 date to get married.
"I've been dreaming about this moment and finally it is here." Bin said.
The number eight is a celebrated number in China. In fact, the Chinese word for eight, Fa, sounds like the word fortune. And on this day, the date contains three eights.
"This is a lucky number for us in China and so that's why we chose this date to get married, plus we have the added bonus of it being the start of the Olympic Games," Lina explained.
And as of 7 a.m. this morning on Olympic day here in Beijing, government officials say close to about 160,000 couples made their way into registration offices.
One registration center on the outskirts of Beijing would usually only have between 20 and 25 weddings on a normal Friday. But by mid-morning hundreds of couples had their marriage certificates.
Bin said, "We had to apply online and we were lucky to get a number to come and appear today."
After few minutes of paper work, Lina and Bin had the document they'd be waiting for.
"This is the start of our new life. This is a one in a thousand year chance and so it is so meaningful to us," Lina said.
Bin agreed, "This is such a happy moment for me, finally my friend becomes my wife!"
The newlyweds will hold their ceremony later this year.
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