Multiple factors contribute to this decline, including \u00a0long working hours\u00a0, escalating \u00a0housing prices\u00a0, persistent \u00a0gender inequality\u00a0, and a shift in priorities among the younger generation. \u201cEnergy is limited, so I eliminate what exhausts me the most. The first thing? Dates,” reflects a 22-year-old student, indicating a shift in values. Many parents, concerned about their children’s relationship prospects, have opted to act, choosing to search for suitable partners in parks rather than online.<\/p>\n
The Functioning of a Paper-Based Dating System<\/h2>\n
The first love market emerged in \u00a0Shanghai’s People’s Park\u00a0 over a decade ago, as discussed in an article from \u00a0Noema Magazine\u00a0. Every weekend, rain or shine, parks fill with parents displaying their children’s details on signs fixed to ropes, benches, or open umbrellas. Information regarding age, height, weight, salary, property ownership, and even whether their child’s parents have a pension is prominently featured. Pictures are often deemed optional; \u201cThose who do it best are the average ones: neither very good nor terrible,\u201d explains a matchmaker known as \u00a0Professor Gu\u00a0, who charges about \u00a0$16\u00a0 to showcase a poster for six months.<\/p>\n
Mixed Outcomes in the Love Market<\/h2>\n
While the dynamic is colorful, the outcome is less so. The \u00a0Wall Street Journal\u00a0 describes scenes in \u00a0Chongqing\u00a0, similar to those in Shanghai, where retired parents crowd narrow paths, adorned with posters. Some parents utilize \u00a0WeChat\u00a0, China\u2019s ubiquitous communication app, to scan QR codes or exchange contacts. A woman\u2019s profile reads that she earns \u00a0$560 a month\u00a0 and owns a house and car, while seeking a husband \u201cwithout bad habits, under 29 years old and no taller than 1.73.\u201d Conversely, a 26-year-old man seeks a university-educated wife \u201cwho is not too plump,\u201d reflecting traditional expectations.<\/p>\n
The cultural divide is stark. In China, marriages are predominantly viewed as \u00a0economic\u00a0 and \u00a0family alliances\u00a0 rather than purely romantic engagements. Consequently, the marriage market is described as \u201ca fusion between Match.com and a farmer’s market,\u201d where banners and handouts substitute for digital profiles, and parents shoulder the role of mediators.<\/p>\n
![\"Shanghai](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1761496676_218_is-in-a-park-crowded-with-parents-holding-umbrellas.jpeg\")
\n Marriage market in Shanghai<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
A Reflection of Societal Pressures<\/h2>\n
Though success is rare, the experience is not devoid of merit. Many attend the markets out of routine, companionship, or simply to pass the time. Men and women at these gatherings often engage in conversation about their experiences and emotions surrounding love and commitment. A father from Shanghai admits that, despite his year-long search on behalf of his 36-year-old son, he has only scored two matches, neither of which bore fruit. \u201cI only act as an intermediary,\u201d he shares, \u201cbut in the end, it depends on him.\u201d<\/p>\n
For many families, the marriage market has become a \u00a0catharsis\u00a0 of sorts. \u00a0Sister Gao\u00a0, a veteran matchmaker, points out the generational shift: “Our kids think, ‘why should I settle?’ In our generation, people put up with more. Today they don’t want to tolerate anything.” Some young individuals challenge existing norms, as reported by state media \u00a0CGTN\u00a0. One participant at the Beijing market, \u00a0Huang Junjie\u00a0, acknowledges his preference for in-person interactions and even suggests being \u00a0matrilocal\u00a0, living with his wife’s family, which contradicts traditional expectations.<\/p>\n
The Social Implications for the Older Generation<\/h2>\n
Behind the layers of laminated paper lies a deeper story of anxiety and family pride. Many parents feel that seeing their children married is their last mission in life. In a society where being single carries social stigma, these markets serve as arenas of both hope and embarrassment. Although some parents express humiliation for having to \u201coffer\u201d their children publicly, others defend their right to intervene. \u201cThe girls are not willing to say ‘I want a boyfriend,\u2019 so we help them,\u201d states a mother from Shanghai. Moreover, with over \u00a0300 million retirees\u00a0, many of whom are widowed or divorced, these markets also serve as a social outlet to combat loneliness.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, the Chinese government has initiated various strategies to counter the declining marriage rates, offering \u00a0economic incentives\u00a0, child subsidies, and even university courses on \u00a0\u201cromantic education.\u201d\u00a0 Nevertheless, analysts note that young people increasingly prioritize their personal freedoms over societal pressures to marry.<\/p>\n
In a landscape where societal dictates place immense pressure on women, reaching single status beyond the age of 27 can earn a woman the term \u00a0Sheng Nu\u00a0, or \u201cleftover woman.\u201d This label, promoted by state media in the 2000s, has created a social stigma compelling many women to justify their choices to their families. Some resort to expensive matchmaking agencies or even practical courses entitled \u201chow to find a boyfriend.\u201d Yet others resolutely resist societal expectations, as one woman claims, \u201cIt’s not that we are demanding; it’s that they are not up to par.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ultimately, the parks of China serve as a fascinating intersection of tradition and modernity. Amidst umbrellas, laminated posters, and parents acting as cupids, love finds itself at a crossroads. The marriage markets are more than mere cultural phenomena; they reflect a society grappling with aging, individualism, and a complicated future. Perhaps this isn’t solely a Chinese dilemma. In an era defined by rising loneliness and the omnipresence of dating apps, many search for their perfect “match,” albeit outside the digital realm, suggesting a greater collective yearning for connection. And perhaps, it’s not a bad idea to take a step back and revisit the analog methods of matchmaking.<\/p>\n
Featured image | JP Bowen<\/a><\/p>\n Text image | Another Believer<\/a><\/p>\n