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BEIJING — Dating is hard at the best of times. In China the stakes are high from the outset: the expectation is that it should lead to marriage; never mind love for love’s sake. 即使万事俱备，相亲也不是一件容易的事。在中国，相亲从一开始就存在高风险：人们期望一段相亲可以最终带领他们走向婚姻，至于爱情，就显得无关紧要了。 A friend recently went on a blind date in Beijing. Arriving at the coffee shop, he found not only the girl but her mother, too. Within minutes she bombarded him with questions: What does he earn? Where did he study? Does he own a house? 我的一位朋友最近参加了北京的一场相亲会。当他到达那家咖啡店时，他发现和相亲对象同时出现的还有她的母亲。短短几分钟内那位母亲向他扔出了一连串的问题：你赚多少钱？你从哪里毕业的？你有房子吗？ Romance in China is often sacrificed to practicality; dating has largely become a commercial transaction. In Beijing parents gather in parks to introduce their children to one another. Singles’ clubs set people up according to requirements — height, income, property. And tens of thousands descend on matchmaking events in cities like Shanghai looking for the perfect mate. 在中国，浪漫总是败给现实；相亲从很大程度上已经变成了一种交易。在北京，有许多父母聚集在公园里，把自己的孩子介绍给多位异性。单身俱乐部把客户按照他们的要求进行划分——身高、收入、财产。在上海这样的城市里，成千上万的人们涌向各种相亲活动，期待找到那个完美伴侣。 | 
