Monday, April 20, 2009 2:54 PM
BEIJING – On Sunday afternoon thousands of people gathered near Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium(大型运动场) for a mass blind date.
But the scene was not the usual one of young swinging(愉快活跃的) singles mixing and mingling; rather, it was full of anxious parents looking for love for their still single adult children.
At the entrance a billboard(布告板) with heart shaped signs gave attendees instructions: "If you are a parent of a son looking for a girlfriend, please wear a blue ribbon(缎带). If you are a parent of a daughter looking for a boyfriend, please wear a red ribbon. If you are a single, please wear a tag(标签) [saying] ‘I’m looking for you!’"
Parents strolled around hunting for different colored ribbons, striking up(开始[交谈等]) conversations and asking for details such as "How old is your daughter?" or "How tall is your son?" They exchanged information, complete with pictures and resumes, in the hope of finding their son or daughter the perfect spouse.
Some parents did come manage to bring their children along. Zhao Qi, a 31-year-old businessman who sells sea cucumbers(海参)–a product many Chinese believe to be extremely nutritious – came with his 74-year-old father.
"I’m not picky at all…age or appearance…they are not important. I just want to find someone who I can talk with, who I feel comfortable to live with," said Zhao.
Dressed in a gray suit and sporting a shy smile, he voiced his concerns about the dating scene. "Girls now are so choosy(爱挑剔的), they are very hard to please. I only have a diploma(毕业文凭) from a vocational school(职业学校), so I think my low education is the reason they don’t appreciate me that much."
Compared to the son’s bashfulness(羞怯), his father, Zhao Lianrun, seemed more anxious and aggressive, having bought him an expensive apartment near the Summer Palace, one of Beijing’s main tourist destinations(目的地). He’s ready for him to start a family.
"I didn’t have a son until I was 43 years old. Now I’m over 70, and I can’t wait to see a grandchild," he said. "People have introduced many girls to my son, but my wife is too picky! She wants the best for him, so we are here today to take a look."
panicked：惊慌的，慌乱的