'Flash meets' - China's latest youth craze
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Young people take part in a "flash meet" in Chongqing's Liberation Square. |
Yan Qing was excited as he recounted his trip to Hangzhou. After meeting some boys and girls online, they had all agreed to meet at the West Lake. "It was drizzling that day. We rented a boat and rowed out on the lake. When it got dark, we went to a bar called Nanshanjie to drink and dance. I had never met these people before, but it felt good hanging out with them."
What Yan Qing did is a Chinese variant of a "flash mob" – called a "flash meet." Basically it means using the Internet to arrange to meet strangers, and perhaps, like Yan Qing, travel to another city and split the costs.
In a recent China Youth Daily survey of 9,734 people, 53.3 percent said they were willing to try "flash meets," and 47.8 percent said the Internet was creating new ways of meeting people.
Asked their favorite "flash meets" activity, 55.1 percent said travel, 45.6 percent said chatting, 36.5 percent said playing games, 33.7 percent dining out, 30.7 percent Karaoke, 23.4 percent playing sport and 21.5 percent shopping.
Qing Yue is a Beijing girl. Last year, she joined in a game called "freeze frame:" The people taking part gathered in the street and, at a set signal, stopped walking and remained still for three or four minutes. "We wanted to make a sharp contrast with the passers-by hurrying to and fro. It was just for fun," said Qing Yue. About 200 people, all gathered online, joined in the game.
Why people want to play "flash meets?" Of all respondents, 51.1 percent said "letting off steam", 47.3 percent said "new surroundings can be refreshing", 45.9 percent did it out of curiosity, 31.6 percent said they found it "stimulating", 38.3 percent wanted to make new friends, 26.2 percent wanted to get out of the house, and 12.3 percent "just wanted to poke fun."
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