Chen Ying, 12, student at Chennan Primary School of Chenghai District, Shantou, South China's Guangdong Province

Born in July 1993, Chen says he has two wishes as his second Year of the Rooster approaches.

"One is, of course, for me. I hope I can get better academic marks," said Chen.

He admits that last semester's academic performance was not that good.

"I'm going back to the school for extra curricula study during the winter holidays, in an effort to be well prepared for study in the new Rooster Year, to realize the wish," he says.

"The other is for my elder brother and me. I hope we can keep getting along with each other better, and be good boys in the New Year as my parents say we're always naughty.

"Since we are growing up, and are no longer little children, we should try to do better, so our parents don't have to worry."

Li Ya, 24, employed at the Beijing Crane Machinery Research Institute

"The monkey (year) is on the way out and here comes the rooster. I hope I don't have to get up as early as a rooster each day," Li jokes.

After graduating from a Beijing university last year, he began working at the company.

Since his home is far from the office, Li rises about 6 am every day.

In the past six months, he has been working his way up from a newcomer to a qualified mechanical designer.

In spite of a low income and too much time in the office, Li is fairly satisfied with the job.

"The work is interesting and I learn a lot," he explains.

He hopes his boss will give him more opportunities to prove his ability.

A pay rise, Li adds, is another New Year's wish.

Li's family recently spent much of their savings to buy a new apartment in the eastern suburb of Beijing.

"I want to do everything in my power to share in all of the expenses," says Li, who is the youngest son in the family.

Li also hopes his father, who suffered from a stroke last year, will regain his health.

"Last but not least, I'd like a peaceful and happy Year of the Rooster as I experienced much troubles this year."

Ma Zhefei, 36, works for the China Guardian Auction Co Ltd in Beijing, allegedly the largest art auctioneer in the country.

Ma joined the company four months ago after having been an art editor and writer for about a decade.

"I covered the art market as a journalist and wanted to know the other side of the story - how it feels to be personally involved in China's exciting art market," he says.

Ma's new job is exciting but he misses aspects of being a journalist, when he could make his own schedule rather than staying in an office from 9 am to 6 pm, as he does today.

"I used to get up at 11 in the morning, and now at seven. I'm still suffering from daily 'jet lag.'" he says.

"Anyway, it's the Year of the Rooster and roosters are really early birds."

Ma says he does not believe the traditional Chinese saying that one will have extreme fortunes or misfortunes every 12th year after their birth.

"Nothing that important happened to me when I was 12 or 24," he says, adding he will not follow the local custom of wearing red waist belts and socks in his special year, which is believed to help people escape from misfortune.

Ma also scoffs at the traditional belief prevailing northern China that one should never get married this year.

"I really want to get married," the handsome bachelor says bitterly.

"But I cannot find anyone whom I want to marry and who wants to marry me."

Xu Yongfeng, 60, lives in a village in Nanxiong County in the northern part of Guangdong, southern China

"I want my youngest son to get married in my fifth Year of the Rooster, and to have a big family reunion," says Xu.

Born in 1945, Xu has three sons, none of whom work in Nanxiong.

Xu says family reunions have been rare in the past years since her sons are busy with their careers.

For the past few years, all she has been doing is looking after her two granddaughters.

Most Chinese people believe the Year of the Rooster is a bad time to tie the knot as it falls on February 9, while February 4 is "lichun" - the actual start of spring.

Some people in the northern part of the country regard the upcoming year as a "widow year," when marriage is to be avoided.

However, Xu says she is not too superstitious. "I don't really care for all of that, I'd be happy for my youngest son to get married."

Editor: Catherine