Shanghai Marriage Market: Dating Pressures, Old Traditions

Today I visit the famous Shanghai Marriage Market, where parents gather in a public park with information about their unmarried sons and daughters, hoping to find them a suitable partner.

Shanghai is one of the richest, most modern and fast-moving cities in China. But behind the skyscrapers and futuristic lifestyle, some old traditions are still very much alive.

What starts as a visit to one of Shanghai’s most unusual traditions turns into a bigger look at dating, marriage and the pressure young Chinese people face today.

After the marriage market, I continue exploring a very different side of Shanghai — from the city’s coffee culture and incredibly expensive license plates to massive queues, Nanjing Road and finally the fastest train in the world: The Maglev train.

Welcome to another day in Shanghai.