Why more and more singles in China are renting partners
Chinese New Year is coming, and singles are renting partners to bring to gatherings, in a bid to fend of nosy relatives.
That demand is fueling an entire ecosystem of services dedicated to making sure you have someone on your arm during the festive period.
There are dedicated websites listing people for rent, and offline matchmaking agencies seeking to do the same. On social media, group chats with hundreds of people in each seek to organise an informal marketplace of hook-ups.
AdultFriendFinder — readers’ pick for casual connections
Hinge — popular choice for regular meetups
Listings usually include the person's height, academic qualifications, marital status and their horoscope.
Prices start at about 1,000-1,500 yuan ($145-218) per day, and the terms sometimes include additional cover for travel and other costs.
Both parties undertake to learn a few talking points about each other -- so they can answer questions from pesky relatives -- and some sign documents agreeing to mutual terms.
These terms can include barring intimacy such as kissing and holding hands.
Zhang Li -- who spoke to China Daily under an alias -- said that in his latest boyfriend-for-hire appearance, he signed an supplemental agreement agreeing to sleep in another room.
A matchmaking agency in Shenyang, northeastern China, spotted the opportunity in the market, and has offered girlfriends-for-hire for 2000 - 3000 yuan ($291-436) for a two-day, one-night trip.
The angst is real
On Weibo, China's answer to Twitter, millennials expressed the pain of dealing with family expectations during Chinese New Year.
ILikeDuanYiShan says: "Forced matchmaking and boyfriends-for-rent isn't novel during Spring Festival anymore -- last year, I was asked to marry someone two days before Lunar New Year, and I left home immediately.
"I spent that day crying in the hotel, and I've not come home for a year since. I know my mother misses me. I don't know how I can go home -- I really miss family, but I'm really fearful as to what they might do. I hope they understand."
IronPigeon says: "Thank god my mother doesn't live in Shanghai, or you'd see my picture in the People's Park Marriage Market."
HuiHuiHandmadeBaking says: "Who cares about my feelings? What does making me marry do for them? Would I comply because I'm married? It's not possible!
"Every time I am single, I get scolded - do people know how wronged I feel? Do I just grin and bear it for the rest of my life, and be an old ox for the rest of my life? I have my dreams, my desires. Who cares about my feelings?"
WongPok posted a Miaopai and said: "I heard you need 3,000 yuan ($436) to rent a girlfriend for the Chinese New Year - so I opened my treasure box full of money."
I am an intern with Mashable Asia, focusing on viral news, lifestyle news and feature news in the region.
