A survey by Nanjing University shows that first impression decides the suitability of a future partner for most Chinese.

The survey results, released last week to mark the Double Seventh Festival which falls on today, takes into account the opinions of 3,039 people in 10 major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Xi'an.

The survey, the first of its kind in the country, has found that 66.57 percent of Chinese rely on their first impression when considering whether someone is suitable enough to be their future wives or husbands.

However, when asked what constitutes such an impression, about 48 percent women said "money and status" and 26 percent men said "beauty."

More than 36 percent of the interviewees said their future partner should be rich and it rates the top criterion in seeking their Mr. or Miss Right.

Among men only 23 percent of the interviewed said they are looking for a well-paid wife. And appearance is not the major criterion when looking for a future husband. Only 10 percent of female interviewees said they hoped to find a handsome guy.

Rather than the kind of fairytale marriage seen in Hollywood blockbusters, 66.32 percent interviewees chose responsibility and the ability to look after family as the second most important criterion for an ideal partner.

The survey also found that most Chinese people met their partner through friends and families or at workplaces or in school. Only 5.7 percent of the interviewees have had an affair or marriage with a netizen.

"We also interviewed couples and asked them to rate on their marriage," said Zhou Xiaohong, director of the sociology department in Nanjing University, also the spokesman for the survey.

"The average score reaches 8.163 out of 10, showing most interviewees were satisfied with their marriage."

However, some of the audience members at the press conference disagree with the high scores as there were more than 1.6 million divorces last year.

The survey also shows that half of the interviewees are opposed to one-night stands, homosexuality and premarital sex.

"But we also find that those well-educated, well-paid and high in status are open-minded to such phenomena, while their counterparts are conservative."

Nearly 70 percent interviewees oppose extra-marital affairs.

It's Chinese Lovers' Day Today
 
According to ancient Chinese mythology the Cowherd and the Weaver Maid, lovers separated by the Queen Mother of the Western Heavens, can only meet tonight.

And thanks to the myth's touching story many Chinese now regard "Qixi" the evening of July 7 in the Chinese lunar calendar as the Double Seventh Festival, dubbed Chinese St. Valentine's Day.

"The Qixi festival expresses the traditional values of love in China that lovers should live to a ripe age together and be faithful to each other no matter what difficulties they encounter," said Feng Jicai, chairman of the Chinese Folk Literature & Arts Society.

Although both the Qixi festival and the Western St. Valentine's Day are dedicated to love, Feng said he hopes some new content besides roses and chocolates will become part of the traditional Chinese festival.

Yesterday, experts from the Chinese Folk Literature & Arts Society, the China Federation of literary and Art Circles and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences gathered in Xingtai in north China's Hebei Province for a declaration on protecting the individuality of Qixi culture.

In Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu Province, a total of 770,000 colored paper birds decorated the castle of the Zhonghua Gate yesterday, wishing the city good luck in love.

And nearly 40 young people in traditional Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220) costumes, gathered in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province yesterday to celebrate the festival.

Three couples made a "Magpie Bridge" to help the Cowherd and Weaving Maid cross the Milkyway and be reunited. In the ancient story, magpies spread their wings to form a bridge across the Milkyway on July 7, enabling the couple to meet at night in heaven.

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, there will be two Qixi festivals this year. So the Cowherd and Weaving Maid can meet again, when the next festival falls on August 31.

(Shenzhen Daily, China Daily July 31, 2006)