SHANGHAI: The past year was widely thought to be an auspicious one for tying the knot but it also turned out to be a period for untying it.

According to statistics collected by the Shanghai Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, 2006 saw surges in both marriages and divorces as people sought to take advantage of the good luck traditionally associated with the current lunar year, which has two springs.

More than 162,000 couples in Shanghai registered marriages last year so many that it was difficult to book wedding banquets.