Sunday November 11, 2007
A special day for singles Beijing Express By CELESTE FONG
SOME months ago, a friend mentioned Nov 11 as a day to observe in China. “Remembrance Day,” I initially thought, although I was rather curious why China would mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the official end of World War 1. But then I found out that Nov 11 is, in China, Singles’ Day or Guang Gun Jie and is celebrated by the young Chinese.
Guang Gun Jie is not an official celebration in China but many singles tend to regard it as a special day. However, if you question the locals about the origin of the day, most would probably not know the answer. According to the Chinese language search portal Baidu.com, the day originated in the early 90s when college students in Nanjing first put forward the idea of having Nov 11 as the day for single people. It says they preferred the day because the date (11.11) consists of four 1’s and when written in Arabic numerals, it looks like four single people standing together. Nov 11 has since become a popular cultural event in campus.
Today, singlehood is no longer taboo, especially in China’s cities and metropolises like Beijing. And like Valentine’s Day and many other occasions, Guang Gun Jie is rapidly becoming commercialised. Just a few days ago, local newspapers carried reports about more than 10 sweet, smiling girls dressed as “Angels of Love”, flapping their white-feathered angel wings while distributing pamphlets on the Guang Gun Jie celebration and party to passers-by outside Xizhimen subway station.
More than 4,000 singles have also registered to take part in today’s Aiqing yundong hui (love sports day) at Chaoyang Sports Centre in the Chinese capital. The event is organised by Shiji Jiayuan, a Chinese online dating agency. “What a joke! I won’t join any of these Guang Gun Jie activities,” remarked my 25-year-old local friend Jack Sheng. “It’s more like a day for making a self-mockery of being single. “(Guang Gun Jie is) Not a serious celebration! And now it’s so commercialised.”
Another friend laughed while confessing that he used to line up outside a Japanese restaurant for free meals on Guang Gun Jie during his university years. “A big crowd, mostly students, flocks to the restaurant near Tsinghua University, which offers free meals on that day each year,” he said with a chuckle.
Personalities like sportsman Liu Xiang and superstar Andy Lau figure regularly in a poll of the top 10 guang gun (equivalent to an old Joe with diamonds) in China. The poll is organised by China Guang Gun Xie Hui, Beijing Guang Gun Xie Hui and China Guang Gun website.Florists and other businesses, including pubs, also take advantage of Nov 11 to lure singles and yuppies, the big spenders on food and beverages. But I believe Guang Gun Jie will gain more popularity and become serious business in the future given the statistics that by 2020, some 30 million Chinese men will find it well-nigh impossible to find a bride as a result of a rising gender imbalance.
For every 100 baby girls born in 2005, there were 118.58 baby boys and the gap will continue to widen, according to the State Population and Family Planning Commission.
By the way, Nov 11 is Veterans’ Day in the United States, and Remembrance Day in the British Commonwealth of nations, and in these and many other parts of the world, people commemorate those members of the armed forces who were killed in battle.作者: taohuadao 时间: 2007-11-12 12:44 标题: 一个光棍的自白 昨日饮酒过度，醒来仍想呕吐。近来心情郁闷，心中感慨无数。
一人闯荡在外，起初觉得挺酷。如今回头一看，寂寞凄惨无助。
自小练文习武，觉得是个人物。没想老大不小，仍然没人光顾。
少年暗恋对象，早已嫁作人妇。那天遇见街头，孩子叫我叔叔。
周围女人不少，全是大姑大嫂。偶然有个例外，也是歪瓜劣枣。
身边光棍太多，整天饿得直吵。我想安慰几句，不知说何是好。
有人看我可怜，就想帮我去找。那怕废旧材料，或许我也想要。
我若宁死不从，就被说成眼高。只好硬着头皮，前去看看罢了。
谁知世事难料，她们也都很挑。没钱没房没车，休想前来骚扰。
心中百思不解，为何世道变了。自幼所受熏陶，全都变成玩笑。
辛苦努力工作，到头全都白做。溜须拍马奉承，却能混得不错。
他们在家享福，我在宿舍苦读。哪知忙了半天，还是该我孤独。
作恶作威作福，那是人民公仆。心里要是不服，立马将你制服。
混混地痞流氓，都是国家栋梁。学士硕士博士，当你装腔作势。
在此商品社会，什么都得要会。不是贪污受贿，就是偷税漏税。
我tm就是不会，才沦为如此惭愧。至此突然明白，老实其实不对。
朋友看到此处，是否已不糊涂。为何鲜花朵朵，都与牛粪结果。
上天好生之德，让我求偶不得。老子把心一横，响应国家政策。
从此光棍终生，又能把我奈何？红尘洒家看破，全是前世的错。作者: feimao22 时间: 2007-11-12 16:35
楼上真是笑死我了!;P作者: 回到简单 时间: 2007-11-12 21:39
偶也来报到了！
一个人的精彩！作者: fangfang 时间: 2007-11-12 22:45
祝各位光棍"光棍节"快乐!!