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China's Changing Perception Of Singles

Joseph Krassenstein |
November 11, 2013 | 1:17 p.m. PST

Staff Reporter

On Nov. 11, China's "anti-Valentine's Day," young people celebrate being single in a mad rush of online splurges. (Creative Commons)
On Nov. 11, China's "anti-Valentine's Day," young people celebrate being single in a mad rush of online splurges. (Creative Commons)
Young people in China had another reason to feel good being single Monday, with Nov. 11 signifying the national "anti-Valentine's Day." 

The unofficial holiday, which is said to have originated at Nanjing University in 1993, was initially only celebrated by men, earning the name “Bachelor’s Day."  

Fast forwarding 20 years later, the day has turned into a celebratory event for everyone, also becoming the nation's “Cyber Monday."

On this occasion, one can expect two things: single Chinese people spending a lot of money on themselves, and single Chinese people hiring strangers to bring home to present to their families as their significant others.

Nov. 11 is literally “the nation’s craziest day of online shopping discounts and spending,” said Business Insider. Alibaba’s T-Mall, China’s top online marketplace, ended the day with a total of $5.7 billion spent in just 24 hours. In the first 20 minutes alone, Alibaba’s T-Mall saw $500 million spent, said Tech In Asia.

The sales got so crazy that many consumers experienced error pages and delays on online purchase pages, with users on Sina Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter, even dubbing the scene an “online battleground."

According to CNBC, the profiles of the average shopper on this holiday are young, single, middle-class consumers. Chinese retail websites have used this singles holiday to promote special products such as boyfriend body pillows, singles apparel and wine.

This bizarre combination of celebrating being single and pretending not to be has thrust the issue of societal expectations for young people in the national spotlight, raising the question - are singles are buying themselves presents to celebrate being single, or to make themselves feel better? 

Young Chinese men and women come under a lot of pressure from their families to get married and start families. Women especially find themselves in a lot of pressure to find a mate to bring home around the holiday season.

That is why on Singles Day, heavy shopping aside, many Chinese men and women will rent a significant other to take home to keep parents and relatives off their back.

Many people will list their acting services for pay to allow single men or women to take them home. According to the Shanghaiist, fees range from 500-8,000 yuan (approximately US$80-1,300) per day, excluding transportation, accommodation, dining, and other fees.

Services include "accompanying their 'clients' back home to see parents, chatting with parents, attending social gathering, going shopping, and take part in various other activities,” said the Shanghaiist. “Typically the ‘fake sweetheart’ and the client will exchange photos online, settle on services and prices, and usually meet for a rehearsal with the client to discuss situation, family, background, job, salary, and most importantly, how they fell in love.”

Reach Staff Reporter Joseph Krassenstein here



 

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