(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2007-09-26 11:16

A Shanghai matchmaking website is promoting a singles party for wealthy men and beauties - with a hefty admission fee of 58,800 yuan (US$7,800).

The nationwide party will be held during the last 10 days of October, and the venue is still a mystery.

According to the website, it has about 10 men signed up from the Forbes list of wealthy people, but won't provide their details.

Xu Tianli, director of the website, said the Forbes-listed men are all VIP club members, and signed up for the party voluntarily.

"The admission fee will not only include the expense for the party, but also include a year's service from our website," said Xu.

The website assured participants of a VIP experience during the party, including staying in a five-star hotel in Shanghai.

The website expects to recruit 50 more party guests. Already more than 570 people have signed up on the Website, two-thirds of them women.

"We will select beautiful, young unmarried women with a good education to take part in the party," said Xu.

But their glamor will be all natural - women at the party aren't allowed to wear any cosmetics, except for skin-care creams.

"We want them to show their very true side to the men," said Xu.

The website organized a similar party last November costing 28,800 yuan to enter, arousing controversy.

Sociologists said the event equals an exchange of money for beauty, which is a very backward marriage view.

Xu Anqi, a marriage expert from the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said if two people don't have a similar personality, life style, and values, their marriage won't last - even if they have beauty and money.

"Of course, such a party has its own reasons for its existence, but it may mislead young people to think that true love comes from a man's money and a woman's beauty," she said.

"And wealthy men may find themselves a gold digger rather than true love," she added.