A history of Chinese marriage ads, from newspaper columns to matchmaking TV shows and mobile dating apps
In ancient China, marriage was more about matching families than love. The principle is summarized by the folk saying, “at the parents’ command, at the matchmaker’s word (父母之命，媒妁之言).” Choosing a spouse based on personal preference was almost unheard of.
But by the turn of the 20th century, young people began gaining a say in who they would spend their lives with. Thus, a modern way of finding a partner emerged—the matrimonial advertisement, or zhenghun guanggao (征婚广告).
The first matrimonial advertisement in China was published on June 26, 1902, in the Ta Kung Pao newspaper. A man who identified himself as “A patriot from the South” publicly sought a marriage partner and set forth three requirements for his other half: “First, she must have natural feet [foot-binding was still prevalent at the time]. Second, she must be proficient in both Chinese and Western academic disciplines. Third, the wedding ceremony should follow civilized customs, completely eliminating outdated Chinese practices.” The enigmatic suitor added, “Anyone who meets all the aforementioned criteria, is willing to marry of her own volition, and possesses full autonomy is acceptable, whether Manchu or Han, traditional or modern in ideology, rich or poor, noble or common, young or old, beautiful or plain.”
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