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Love, or at the very least, fun on cards at singles' event
By Tonny Chan, Ma Wei and Li Luxia (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-11-12 06:32
CHONGQING: More than 400 people gathered at a park by the Yangtze River on
Friday night to celebrate the "Singles' Festival" - some looking for fun, others
for a lasting relationship.
Women threw knitted balls to the crowd, a traditional way of knotting a
romantic relationship. On the ball were attached the girls' names and phone
numbers.
It was the first time such an event had been organized in this city in
Southwest China.
The festival was also marked in other parts of the country.
For Mr Cheng, 46, manager of a communications firm in Chongqing, the event
provided another venue for him to meet his dream lover.
"I have been to marriage service agencies many times. But what they really
care about is the service fees," he said.
Among the crowd was Mrs Tang, 50, who accompanied her 28-year-old niece.
She hoped the young woman could catch the attention of a wealthy man.
"There are many talented people here. But what is important is to find a
husband with a car and a house," she said.
Jiang Tang, one of the event's guests and known among local media in
Chongqing as the "godfather of romance," said more people chose to stay single
nowadays because "they want to be responsible for themselves."
Professor Hou from the Faculty of Social Science at Chongqing Normal
University said the so-called "bachelor culture" was a rebellion against
traditional values.
"In most cases today, it's out of choice," she said, adding that many single
people are educated and financially independent. By choosing to stay single,
they can pursue their individual freedom whereas marriage implies more social
responsibility.
The professor said the festival was a commercial event. Margaret, 23, shared
this view.
"It's a shallow and meaningless marketing gimmick. Do you believe you can
find your other half in such an event? Give me a break."
Romance, in her view, was "certainly not something you can find in the park."
According to the Chongqing Evening Daily, co-organizer of the event, most of
the participants were in their 20s.
A local survey of 280 divorced couples showed extra-marital affairs were
blamed for 70 per cent of the break-ups.
In Shanghai, a singles' tour was organized aimed at those with few
relationships and little leisure time.
During the two-day trip, which started at six on Friday evening, 19 single
men and 25 single women aged 22-35 will visit Tonglu and Qiandaohu Lake in East
China's Zhejiang Province.
According to the deputy manager, surnamed Zhang, of the Shanghai Travel
Agency, single women showed more enthusiasm for the activity.
She said there were so many female candidates that there was no room for them
all in this tour, and they have had to be persuaded to be in the next group.
In Beijing, a large party for singles was held in Chaoyang District.
"At first, we planned for about 100 participants," said Yuan Rui, one of the
organizers. But by Friday afternoon, more than 400 people had registered.
(China Daily 11/12/2005 page1)
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