KEY POINTS:
As far as auspicious dates go for the Chinese, few can beat August 8, 2008 - the day chosen for today's Olympic opening ceremony.
"The triple 8 on the August 8 date this year, symbolising a triple portion of prosperity, makes it particularly special," said Manying Ip, associate professor of Asian studies at the University of Auckland. "The number eight sounds like the Chinese word for wealth and prosperity."
Just to be sure, Beijing will kick off the opening of the Olympic Games tonight, 08.08.08, at 8.08pm.
"It is seen as lucky and the Chinese regard this Olympics as the start of a more glorious chapter in China's history," Professor Ip said.
Student Zhang Nan, who hails from Beijing but now lives in Auckland, said: "The Chinese believe whatever happens on this date will be lucky and many try all means to benefit from the good luck, including giving birth and getting married."
Ms Zhang, 25, knows of a friend in China who will be having a caesarean today even though she was only seven months' pregnant because she believed it meant giving the baby a "lucky life".
"No Chinese want to miss this date because you have to wait a hundred years, until 2108, to get another 080808," she said.
Thousands of couples in China will be rushing to tie the knot today before spending the first night of their honeymoon watching the opening ceremony. In Beijing alone, more than 8000 couples have booked today to register their marriage.
"August 8 will set a record," the Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau said.
In the parade of nations, the order of entry will be based on Hanyu Pinyin - a Chinese phonetic system that uses Roman characters - rather than the English alphabet.
New Zealand - or Xin Xilan, as it will be known at the Beijing Games - will be one of the last contingents to enter the stadium, so Kiwi viewers will just have to wait a little longer to see their team.
