In her latest report from Shanghai, Newstalk journalist Emily Keegan explored a unique cultural phenomenon: The weekend marriage market at People’s Park, where parents - and increasingly, singles, gather in search of love.
“Every weekend, you can come [to the park] to look for your partner,” says 40-year-old Clarke, who has attended the market “more than ten times.”
Clarke explained why parents are so involved:
“Chinese people are very shy, and find it hard to do it themselves.”
The park is filled with parents holding laminated A4 posters listing details about their adult children, from age and education to occupation and hobbies.
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“The sheets don’t include any pictures or names,” Keegan reported, “but if someone likes a description, they get the contact information to reach out.”
These marriage markets first appeared in the early 2000s and have now spread across cities in China.
Keegan highlighted the factors behind their growth:
“Men outnumber women, making it difficult for many people to find a partner,” she added.
“Modern trends have led women to focus on their careers first and marry later, resulting in fewer couples getting married each year.”
Professional matchmakers also play a role.
One explained, “They pay me and I provide a service for them for one year. I come here almost every weekend, either Saturday or Sunday.”
He mostly works with parents, occasionally helping singles directly.
“I’ve helped more than 100 people in three months,” he told Keegan.
To manage the crowds, the park is divided into sections.
“One side of the park is occupied by younger people, while the other side is where the older generation sets up,” Keegan observed.
Some profiles are even written in English, giving hope for connections beyond cultural and language barriers.
For the older generation, the marriage market is about more than just matchmaking.
“The older generation use the event to keep traditional dating habits alive, in a technological, busy world where work and travel are taking over,” Keegan explained.
Keegan described People’s Park as a real-life “in-person dating app,” where tradition and the modern world come together.
