Cowherds and Weavers happy to stay apart

A young woman receives a rose from one of the handsome men at the shopping mall in Zhejiang, Hangzhou province, August 6, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

THERE ARE 200 million single people in China, and they are a big consumption group. As a result, Chinese Valentine's Day on Aug 9 this year has become a celebration of commercialism rather than love. Sznews.com commented on Tuesday:

In the traditional myth, the aristocratic Weaver Lady did not choose a suitor of the same class; instead, she chose a hard-working Cowherd of good character.

But nowadays such a fairytale of love can only exist when the modern Weaver Ladies earn their bread independently and maintain a high standard of living; and the Cowherds, though less well-off, can meet the emotional needs of these Weavers.

As for those who are single, there are striking similarities around the world. In South Korea, 4 out of 10 unmarried men choose to be single because of their low incomes and lack of property, while single women say they can't find a partner or do not want to compromise and live under financial pressure just for the sake of marriage.

This single economy has resulted in "loving one's self before loving others" and "living a decent life as a single person". This in turn has led to the manufacturing of goods aimed specifically at single people, such as one-cup coffee machines, mini rice cookers, mini washing machines and fridges, especially as those who are on their own tend to spend more than couples.

In the disguise of celebrating love, businesses will keep on trying to get unmarried Asians to part with their money.