People’s Park and the Marriage Market: 'match.com' Meets Farmers' Market (Getting High in Shanghai Series 12)

People’s Park and the Marriage Market
'match.com' Meets Farmers' Market
Getting High in Shanghai Series 12       

People's Park was built on the grounds of the former

Shanghai Race Club, established by the British in 1862.

 

When the People's Republic of China was founded,

the communist government banned all forms of gambling, 

 

…they converted the northern half

of the racecourse into People's Park,

…and the southern half  to People's Square.

 

Shanghai’s People’s Park is probably

what Central Park is to New York,

 

It is a major tourist attraction of lovely gardens,

 

…verdant pocket forests,

 

…historic buildings,

 

…and tranquil ponds.

 

It was a busy weekend during our visit so we

chanced upon the Shanghai Marriage Market.

. 
 

The marriage market held in the park every Saturday

and Sunday is also known as "blind date corner" .

 

Parents flock to the park to find a suitable partner

for unmarried adult children in which numerous

marriage advertisement listings are publicly posted.

Chinese culture’s long idealized important

tradition of continuing their family lineage, 

 

…the standards of finding the right

match are written on s piece of paper, 

 

...which is then hung upon long strings,
boards, and even on open umbrellas.

The parents socialize and talk with other parents to

find out if there is a perfect fit among their children. 

 

Sometimes referred as "match.com meets farmers' market"

the Shanghai Marriage Market, a parent matchmaking fair

is a way of upholding a traditional dating style modern China.

 

Some may find it weird but a visit to

the Marriage Market at People’s Park

is an awesome cultural experience.

Read my other Getting High in Shanghai Series:

Oakwood Residences Shanghai

Affordable Spacious Home in Shanghai

Getting High in Shangha iSeries 1 

Hong Kong Traditional Cuisine 

A Taste of Hong Kong in Shanghai

Getting High in ShanghaiSeries 2 

Kerry Pudong 

Upscale Lifestyle Center

Getting High in ShanghaiSeries 3 

Shanghai Dimsum 

Authentic Shanghai Cuisine
Getting High in ShanghaiSeries 4 

Pudong Afternoon Walk 
Best of Pudong by Foot
Getting High in ShanghaiSeries 5 

Pearl Tower 
Shanghai’s Icon Upclose
Getting High in ShanghaiSeries 6 

Pudong Riverwalk 
Scenic Riverside Park
Getting High in ShanghaiSeries 7 

Shanghai Tower        
Shanghai’s Tallest Building 
Getting High in ShanghaiSeries 8 

A Ming’s Braised Pork Rice 
A Taste of Taiwan in Shanghai
Getting High in ShanghaiSeries 9 

Pudong, Shanghai 
China’s Skyscraper City  
Getting High in ShanghaiSeries 10 

Starbucks People’s Park 
People Watching in a the Heart of  Shanghai

Getting High in ShanghaiSeries 11 

People’s Park and the Marriage Market 
'match.com' Meets Farmer's Market

Getting High in ShanghaiSeries 12 

Shopping Shanghai 
Asia’s Bargain Shopping Capital 
Getting High in Shanghai Series 13

Shanghai’s Best Chinese Restaurant 
The Best an the Worst of Shanghai
Getting High in Shanghai Series 14

 Angels in our Midst 
Kindhearted Samaritans in Shanghai 
Getting High in Shanghai Series 15 

East Nanjing Road 
The Heart and Soul of Shanghai

Getting High in Shanghai Series 16 

Mc Donald’s Nanjing 
Feeling at Home in Shanghai

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The Bund 
History in Microcosm

Getting High in Shanghai Series 18  

Ultra Modern Shanghai 

Fast Forward to First World

Getting High in Shanghai Series 19