http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8063777.stmFascinating! Speed dating with a chinese twist..
In a corner of the People's Park in Shanghai, there are hundreds of handwritten posters, listing details of young Chinese people who need husbands or wives.
The "marriage market" takes place each weekend. Young people in China would traditionally be expected to find a partner by the age of 30, ideally for women a few years earlier.
For those parents starting to worry their children will not be able to find a partner, this unofficial gathering offers an opportunity to try find them a date.
This poster says the woman is 27, has a college degree, is 162cm tall and is looking for a man aged 29 to 35, with an apartment, for marriage. She may not know she is being advertised like this.
The man on the right is an agent - a middle-man. His board says he is offering his services for free but others charge, for example 20RMB, or just under $3, an introduction.
This poster advertises "making friends" parties for all ages. Anyone from the age of 23 to 70 can join in, it says, in the afternoons on the weekend.
Yuan Xing Fa organises the parties but says he makes no money out of them - he is here to serve the people. The former policeman says he started matchmaking five years ago and has had more than 70 successes.
Xu Ke Rong and his wife say their daughter has no time to find herself a boyfriend. They say she knows they are here and they want to find her a man who is a "proper height" and has a "proper salary".
Virtually everyone comparing notes about young people is an older relative, usually a parent. A few say their children are aware of what they are doing, others admit their offspring have no idea
Zheng Xue Yi helps match-make Chinese overseas. Parents use his adverts to find other parents with children living in the same country as theirs - the parents meet and if that goes well, suggest a date to the offspring.
Some agents claim to have more than 1,000 clients - one says 80% of his clients are women looking for husbands. Lots of men, he says, are too busy with work to find a bride.
Lists detail the vital statistics of those who are looking. The details include year of birth, height and of course, the all important salary.
But finding a mate for your son or daughter is not easy. For some anxious parents, the gathering in the park offers reassurance they are not the only ones dealing with the worry of unmarried children.
