雙語閱讀:相親節目爲何風靡中國(圖)

The young man had a simple question: "Would you often come riding with me on my bike?" It's the kind of line that worked for many suitors in China, the kingdom of bicycles, during its austere decades under Chairman Mao. But Ma Nuo, a Beijing model, seeks loftier transport and wealthier dates.

回想毛主席年代的艱苦歲月裏，中國還只是個自行車王國。那時年輕男士通常會問意中人一個簡單的問題：“你願意讓我騎自行車載你出去嗎？”而這種求愛方式卻很奏效。但現如今，北京模特馬諾所追尋的卻是高級轎車和豪華約會。

Even if a date went bad, "I'd rather cry in a BMW" was her giggling, withering rejection, watched by millions on China's top-rated TV entertainment show. Material girls such as Ma, 22, have rocketed If You Are the One and its rival dating show, Take Me Out, to the summit of Chinese television fame.

在國內收視最高的電視綜藝節目中，她微笑着在數百萬電視觀衆的注視下給對方一個讓人無語的回答：就算約會出了問題，“我寧願坐在寶馬裏哭”。像馬諾這樣22歲的“物質女孩”使《非誠勿擾》及其競爭對手《我們約會吧》一躍成爲中國最著名的電視節目。

The programs, which both first aired in January, have generated discussion about money worship among China's younger generation. Publicity-generating scandals include allegations of fake contestants and nude photos, posted online, of one contestant, who says she was coerced.

自1月份開播以來，兩檔節目成功引發了人們對中國年輕一代拜金主義的激烈討論。然而，宣傳期間卻爆出一系列醜聞，先是有人爆料某些選手是托兒，後又有人在網上發佈某選手的不雅照，而該選手聲稱自己是被逼的。

The shows' popularity is easy to explain, says Tian Fanjiang, CEO of , a matchmaking website. "There are 180 million single people in China," Tian says. "They and their parents are all worried about the marriage problem."

百合網首席執行官田範江說，這類節目受歡迎很容易解釋。田說：“中國有1.8億單身者，他們自己和他們的父母都爲婚姻問題擔心。”

By the standards of the USA, China's twice-weekly, hour-long hit shows can appear tame. For Chinese viewers, they have proved riveting, turning traditional matchmaking on its head and celebrating instant celebrity.

但是，按照美國的標準，這種每週兩次、每次一小時的相親節目可能不算什麼。而對中國觀衆而言，它們卻極具吸引力，不僅顛覆了傳統相親模式，還能讓人一夜成名。

Although dating programs have aired for almost two decades here, they didn't look like this.

　　雖然電視相親節目已經在中國存在了近2 0年，但過去跟現在大有不同。

"In the old shows, people just introduced themselves, and there was little mutual choice," says Wang Gang, who produces If You Are the One for Jiangsu Satellite TV. Wang says his show offers confrontation, nerves and suspense. "Our style is new, and the mass audience has got bored of singing and dancing programs."

“過去的相親節目中，人們只是自我介紹，幾乎沒有什麼互相選擇的環節。”江蘇衛視《非誠勿擾》欄目製片人王剛表示，該節目爲大家提供一個面對面的機會，節目緊張充滿懸念。“我們的節目風格新穎，大衆也已經厭倦了歌舞類節目。”

"The Chinese family is unique in the world, as we have a one-child policy," says Take Me Out producer Liu Lei, "but parents attach great importance to carrying on the family name, so marriage is a big issue."

（湖南衛視）《我們約會吧》的製片人劉蕾說：“中國的家庭在世界上是獨特的，我們有獨生子女政策。但家長對延續家族姓氏非常重視，所以婚姻是很重要的問題。”

Liu insists that the money-worship of some contestants does not reflect mainstream Chinese society, but she concedes, "Many girls really love rich men."

劉蕾堅持說，某些徵婚者對金錢的崇拜不能反映中國社會主流，但她也承認：“很多女孩的確愛有錢人。”

Matchmakers are rushing to cash in at matchmaking fairs and other events.

如今，婚介機構正你爭我趕，利用集體相親活動和其他活動賺錢。

Fifteen thousand women applied for a chance to date a wealthy man at an event May 1 organized by matchmaking website , says Zhang Guoyu, director of the company's Southwest China branch. In June, 50 of them will meet the men who paid $14,650 for the service.

世紀佳緣交友網西南區總監張國玉說，15000名女性報名參加他們公司5月1日舉行的活動，爭奪與一名富翁的相親機會。她們當中的5 0人將於6月份與這名男士會面，後者爲此支付了14650美元。

No TV show can fully reflect social reality, says Yin Hong, a Chinese television scholar at Beijing's Tsinghua University. He prefers If You Are the One because "It's more controversial." Why so popular? "China's social environment is changing, as people dare to express their private life and love values in public," he says.

清華大學的電視學者尹鴻說，沒有任何一個電視節目能完全反映社會現狀。他更喜歡《非誠勿擾》。他說：“這個節目更具爭議性，衝突更激烈。”那麼，這個節目爲什麼如此受歡迎呢？他說：“中國的社會環境在不斷變化，人們敢於表達私生活和愛情價值觀。”

China's one-child policy has skewed the gender balance over the past three decades because of farmers' preference for boys.

30年來，中國獨生子女政策使性別失衡，因爲農民更偏愛男孩。

If women enjoy a greater selection, though, they face other challenges. "Our surveys show that men consider women old after 28," says matchmaker Tian, and women consider a man old after 35.

但是，如果說女性享有更大的選擇範圍，她們卻面臨其他挑戰。田範江說：“我們的調查顯示，男性認爲女性過了28歲就老了。”而女性認爲男性過了35歲纔算老。

In Beijing's Zhongshan Park one Sunday, more than 1,000 parents swap details on their single, grown offspring.

一個週日，超過1000名家長到北京中山公園互換成年子女的詳細資料。

He Lan, 56, hopes to find a date for his daughter He Fan, 28, who works for an elevator firm. 　　

56歲的何瀾(音)希望給28歲的女兒何帆（音）尋找男朋友，何帆在一家電梯公司工作。

"It's hard for young people to find partners now, as they are so busy with their jobs," he says.　

他說：“年輕人現在找對象很難，因爲他們都忙於工作。”

He is a big fan of the dating programs and tuned in Saturday to a new show, I See You.

他很喜歡看那些交友節目，而且週六看了一個新節目--相親相愛。

"I took down the number and told my daughter she must apply to go on," he says. Her reaction? "Go on it yourself!" he laughs.

他說：“我記下電話號碼，告訴我女兒她得去報名。”她的反應呢？“你自己去報吧！”他笑着說。