China’s real-life “Marriage Markets” are a fascinating phenomenon where parents and sometimes singles themselves gather to find a husband or wife.

These markets take place in public parks across major cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou, typically on weekends.

Rows of handwritten posters or umbrellas display profiles featuring age, height, education level, job, salary, hometown, and ownership of assets like apartments or cars.

Photos are rare, making it more like a résumé than a dating profile. Interestingly, many individuals being “advertised” aren’t even present, with parents often attending on their behalf to help find a suitable match.

In a culture where marriage is still a significant life milestone and family pressure is intense, these markets are seen as practical, not strange.

They emerged as a response to modern realities like long work hours, rising housing costs, and dating apps that don’t always lead to serious relationships.

For older generations, this face-to-face, data-driven approach feels more reliable than swiping on a phone .

While younger Chinese people are increasingly choosing to marry later or not at all, these markets still thrive, blending tradition with modern matchmaking.

Some couples have genuinely met and married through them, while others see them as a symbol of the tension between personal choice and cultural expectations.