A live matchmaking event called “Granny Wang’s Matchmaking” that takes place at a scenic spot in Kaifeng, Henan province, has gone viral on the Chinese internet. Netizens have even dubbed Granny Wang, the host, as “Yue Lao (月老) the sales champion” because “no one can leave Granny Wang’s matchmaking event still single”. In Chinese culture, Yue Lao is the god of marriage and love.
在河南省开封市一个景区举行的名为“王婆说媒”的现场相亲活动在中国互联网上走红。网友们甚至将主持人王婆戏称为“月老”，因为“没有人能在王婆的相亲会上保持单身”。在中国文化中，月老是婚姻和爱情之神。



插图：2024年3月28日，“王婆”在开封举行的现场相亲活动中。
Unlike scxted matchmaking TV programmes such as If You Are the One (《非诚勿扰》), this live matchmaking event conducted at the Wansui Mountain scenic area in Kaifeng is much more spontaneous and interactive.
与《非诚勿扰》等剧本式相亲电视节目不同，这场在开封万岁山景区举行的现场相亲会更加具备自发性和互动性。

Dressed in traditional red and green Chinese clothing with a large red flower in her hair, Granny Wang randomly invites women to come on stage and asks them to introduce themselves and tell the audience their ideal type of man. Granny Wang then helps to scout for her partner right then and there.

王婆身着传统的红绿相间的中式服装，头发上插着一朵大红花，她随机邀请女性上台，请她们做自我介绍，并告诉观众自己心目中的理想型。然后，王婆当场帮她们物色对象。
Men at the event can raise their hands and interact with the women on stage. Successful pairs would exchange phone numbers and go through “nuptial rites”. If the matchmaking is unsuccessful, Granny Wang will give the “brokenhearted” some “silver notes” (银票, vouchers) to buy something from the scenic area as a consolation.
参加活动的男士可以举手与台上的女士互动。配对成功的双方将交换电话号码，并举行“结婚仪式”。如果相亲不成功，王婆会给“失恋者”一些“银票”，让他们去景区买东西，以表安慰。

The process may seem simple, but it is highly efficient. Chinese media reported that Granny Wang has already paired 40 to 50 couples a year into her role as a matchmaker.

这个过程看似简单，但效率很高。据中国媒体报道，王婆在当媒婆的一年来已经为四五十对情侣牵线搭桥。
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处




插图：2024年3月30日，“王婆”在开封舞台上与参与者互动。
And she has become increasingly popular online as well. Douyin topics related to “Granny Wang’s Matchmaking” amassed over 6 billion views, while the number of fans on her personal Douyin account “Granny Wang from Kaifeng” (开封王婆) skyrocketed from 230,000 on 15 March to over 6 million in early April.
她在网上也越来越受欢迎。与“王婆说媒”相关的抖音话题浏览量超过60亿次，而她的个人抖音账号“开封王婆”的粉丝数量也从3月15日的23万猛增至4月初的600多万。

Based on the videos uploaded by members of the audience, the venue is normally packed even before the start of the event. The event, which was originally ten minutes long, has also been lengthened to two hours.

根据观众上传的视频，通常在活动开始前，会场就已座无虚席。原本十分钟的活动也延长到了两个小时。

Kaifeng, an “ancient capital of eight dynasties”, has again become a hot tourist destination due to the popularity of “Granny Wang’s Matchmaking”. Many netizens said that they have specifically planned to head to Kaifeng to attend Granny Wang’s event during the Qingming Festival holiday. Some netizens joked, “Everyone says that staying single is good, but everyone is still heading to Kaifeng.”

由于“王婆说媒”的火爆，“八朝古都”开封再次成为热门旅游目的地。不少网友表示，清明节小长假期间，专门计划去开封参加王婆的活动。有网友开玩笑说：“人人都说单身好，可大家还是都往开封跑。”



插图：2024年3月30日，航拍开封“王婆说媒”的人群。
Data from Tongcheng Travel (同程旅行) shows that as of 26 March, searches for Wuxia City scenic area at Wansui Mountain in Kaifeng increased by more than 700% in the past week, with ticket bookings soaring more than 200% month-on-month. And based on data from Ctrip, ticket bookings to Kaifeng have increased over five times year-on-year, and the city has made it onto the list of the top three most “unexpected travel destinations” during the Qingming Festival holiday. Kaifeng authorities have also specially convened a cultural and tourism meeting to study how they can turn this trend into an economic effect so that the city’s surge in popularity can be sustained.
来自同程旅行的数据显示，截至3月26日，开封万岁山武侠城景区的搜索量近一周增长超过700%，门票预订量月环比飙升超过200%。而根据携程旅行网的数据，开封的门票预订量同比增长超过5倍，并进入清明节小长假最“意想不到的旅游目的地”前三名。开封市有关部门还专门召开了文化旅游工作会议，研究如何将这一趋势转化为经济效应，以使开封的人气持续高涨。

The charisma of a ‘love magician’?

“爱情魔术师”的魅力？
“Granny Wang” (王婆) is a stage name, the name of the matchmaker who paired off ximen Qing with Pan Jinlian in the Chinese novel Water Margin. Although she is not exactly a positive character, the people who know the story of Wu Dalang and ximen Qing would have a deep impression of the name.
“王婆”是一个艺名，是中国小说《水浒传》中为西门庆和潘金莲牵线搭桥的媒人的名字。虽然她算不上正面人物，但知道武大郎和西门庆故事的人都会对这个名字印象深刻。
The actual name of “Granny Wang from Kaifeng” is Zhao Mei, a 61-year-old performer from the Dasong Wuxia City (大宋武侠城) scenic area at Wansui Mountain. Kaifeng is the birthplace of Song dynasty culture, which is also the theme of the scenic area. “Granny Wang’s Matchmaking” was meant to be a programme that introduces everyday life in Kaifeng during the Song dynasty to visitors, but Zhao took the initiative to add matchmaking elements to it.
“开封王婆”的真实姓名叫赵梅，今年61岁，是万岁山大宋武侠城景区的一名老艺人。开封是宋代文化的发祥地，这也是景区的主题。“王婆说媒”本是一个向游客介绍宋代开封日常生活的节目，但赵老师主动为其加入了相亲元素。

In February, the scenic area had invited various bloggers to experience what Wuxia City had to offer, and the lively and energetic “Granny Wang’s Matchmaking” programme stood out, attracting netizens’ attention.

今年2月，景区曾邀请多位博主体验武侠城的风土人情，其中生动活泼的《王婆相亲》节目脱颖而出，吸引了网民的关注。

Chinese state media CCTV said in an article that the appeal of “Granny Wang’s Matchmaking” is its authenticity and the fact that there is no decoy. None of it is an act and the people sexted are from the live audience, while the sincere and relaxed atmosphere also gives participants a sense of security.

中国国家媒体中央电视台在一篇文章中说，“王婆说媒”的魅力在于它的真实性，没有任何套路。这一切都不是演戏，被选中的人都来自现场观众，而真诚轻松的氛围也给参与者带来了安全感。

At the event, Granny Wang acts as the women’s “godmother” and helps them to “find a husband”. She encourages the women: “Just tell me who you like and Godmother here will invite them to the stage.” She also tells the audience: “It is not embarrassing to get rejected!” When she sees a shy man, she would even teach them how to confess their feelings; if a woman fails to find a suitable partner, she also eases the awkwardness: “If you don’t like any of them, I will get all of them to leave the stage.”

在活动中，王婆充当了妇女们的“干妈”，帮助她们“找老公”。她鼓励妇女们“只要告诉我你们喜欢谁，干妈就会邀请她们上台”。她还告诉观众“被拒绝并不丢人！”看到害羞的男士，她甚至会教他们如何表白；如果女士找不到合适的伴侣，她也会缓解尴尬：“如果你不喜欢他们中的任何一个，我会把他们全部赶下台”。

Netizens feel that, compared with dating agencies that charge tens of thousands of dollars for their services, Granny Wang’s no-cost, on-the-spot matchmaking really makes people more trusting and relaxed, creating the heartwarming feeling that “everything is done with our best interests at heart”.

网友们觉得，与那些收费动辄上万元的婚介所相比，王婆这种不收取任何费用的现场相亲，确实让人更加信任和放松，产生了“一切以我们的利益为重”的温馨感觉。


Netizens even praised Granny Wang for being able to keep the mood on the ground lively and not awkward, even though participants are strangers, holding the audience’s interest and being even more entertaining than many variety shows on television.

网友们更是称赞王婆，即使参与者都是陌生人，也能让现场气氛活跃而不尴尬，紧紧抓住观众的兴趣点，娱乐性甚至超过了很多电视综艺节目。

However, Granny Wang’s show also had its share of controversy and drama. For instance, a divorced couple of three years took to the stage and after Granny Wang’s mediation, they tearfully embraced and decided to reconcile. In response to suspicions that this was scxted, staff claimed that the participants were truly “picked at random”.

不过，王婆的节目也有争议和戏剧性的一面。比如，一对离婚三年的夫妻上台，在王婆的调解下，两人含泪相拥，决定和好。有人怀疑这是编排好的，但工作人员声称，参与者确实是“随机挑选”的。

Another male participant who was successful in being paired on stage was revealed to be in fact married, which also drew accusations from some that matchmaking at the location was treated like a game without any background checks done and was not a serious marriage recommendation; young people were advised to “go in with eyes wide open and be wary of being duped”.

另一位在台上配对成功的男性参与者被揭露其实已经结婚，这也引起了一些人的指责，认为该地点的相亲活动就像一场游戏，没有做任何背景调查，不是严肃的婚姻介绍；建议年轻人“睁大眼睛看清楚，谨防上当受骗”。

Youths still have matchmaking needs?

年轻人还有相亲需求吗？

Experts felt while Granny Wang’s boom in popularity has been given a push by bloggers and viewers, the fact that the show was able to draw in such a large number of participants attests that though the current generation of youths seem uninclined to get married, they still have matchmaking needs.

专家认为，《王婆说媒》的火爆固然有博主和观众的推波助澜，但节目能够吸引如此多的参与者，也证明了这一代年轻人虽然似乎没有结婚的意愿，但仍然有相亲的需求。

Peng Kaiping, dean of the School of Social Sciences at Tsinghua University, said the popularity of “Granny Wang’s Matchmaking” points towards the fact that youths still hold a lot of expectations about love, and many actually hope to find their other half. He added that 70% of people need help from others to find their other half.

清华大学社会科学学院院长彭凯平认为，《王婆说媒》的热播说明年轻人对爱情仍然抱有很多期待，很多人其实都希望能找到自己的另一半。他补充说，其中约70%的人需要他人帮助才能找到另一半。

In fact, the attitude towards matchmaking is changing. Marriage and dating website Jiayuan.com released a report last year which said more than 50% of post-00s youths can accept matchmaking as a means to find a partner, and compared to the previous generation, they are beginning to seek matchmaking at an earlier age.

事实上，人们对相亲的态度正在发生变化。婚恋交友网站世纪佳缘去年发布的一份报告显示，超过50%的00后年轻人能够接受相亲这种寻找另一半的方式，与上一代人相比，他们开始寻求相亲的年龄更早了。

Statistics show that post-70s men started matchmaking from 26.4 years old onwards, while women did so from 25.4, but for the post-00s generation, males and females could start matchmaking from as early as 20.

统计显示，70后男性从26.4岁开始相亲，女性从25.4岁开始相亲，而00后男女从20岁就开始相亲了。
The people’s need for a “matchmaking corner” in cities is also on the rise. According to a report by Chinese official media The Paper (《澎湃新闻》), from last year onwards, many netizens from areas such as Beijing, Urumqi in xinjiang, Yan’an in Shaanxi, Gaoping in Shanxi and so on have been calling on their governments to set up matchmaking corners in local parks.
人们对城市“相亲角”的需求也在增加。据中国官媒《澎湃新闻》报道，从去年开始，北京、新疆乌鲁木齐、陕西延安、山西高平等地的众多网友纷纷呼吁政府在当地公园设立相亲角。

A Beijing netizen suggested that a park in Tongzhou be designated as a matchmaking corner, citing the social issue of mature youths' difficulties in finding a partner. According to the netizen, while the matchmaking corner at Beijing's Zhongshan Park is used by parents to help their children find a partner, it's a long way from Tongzhou to Beijing.

北京的一位网民以“大龄青年找对象难”这一社会问题为由，建议将通州的一个公园设为“相亲角”。据该网民称，虽然北京中山公园的相亲角被父母用来帮助子女寻找伴侣，但从通州到北京路途太远了。

A large-scale dating arena

大型相亲会

Some people are getting hopeful after reading such news: are the young looking to get married again?

看到这样的新闻，有人开始期待：年轻人是不是又想要结婚了？



插图：2024年3月24日，人们在中国东部江苏省南​​京市的一个校园里观赏樱花。

However, from netizens’ comments, it is too soon to draw such a conclusion. On the one hand, parents are still the main "players" at matchmaking corners. On the other hand, at the location of “Granny Wang’s Matchmaking”, not all are interested in dating for marriage.

不过，从网友的评论来看，现在下结论还为时尚早。一方面，父母仍然是相亲角的主要“玩家”。另一方面，在“王婆说媒”，并不是所有人都对相亲结婚感兴趣。

A netizen from xiaohongshu who attended the event in person shared that tourists thronged the event, and many exchanged WeChat contacts without going on stage. She likened it to a music festival: one is there to watch the show, make friends, or even go on an impromptu date if someone catches your eye. Another netizen said that going on dates is not hard, but marriage is a whole other matter.

一位亲自参加活动的小红书网友分享说，活动现场游客络绎不绝，很多人没上台就交换了微信通讯录。她将其比喻为音乐节：人们在那里观看演出，结交朋友，如果有人吸引了你，甚至可以临时约会。另一位网民说，约会并不难，但结婚就是另一回事了。

From the looks of it, the support for “Granny Wang’s Matchmaking” does not so much reflect a desire to get married, but rather young people's hopes to break out of their circles and go on dates. At the same time, a holiday mood and the relaxed atmosphere at scenic spots also help reduce real-world obstacles to dating, helping the young open their hearts.

从目前来看，支持《王婆说媒》的网友与其说是想结婚，不如说是年轻人希望跳出自己的圈子去约会。同时，节日的气氛和景区的轻松氛围也有助于减少现实中的相亲障碍，帮助年轻人敞开心扉。

“Granny Wang’s Matchmaking” has broken a certain stereotype about young people's desires for relationships and marriage. However, one cannot rely on a popular online show to spur change. Less interference and pressure, and a little more sincerity à la Granny Wang, could perhaps be the catalyst to promote dating and marriage in China.

“王婆说媒”打破了年轻人对恋爱婚姻的某种刻板印象。然而，现状并不是只依靠一档热门的网络节目就能改变的。少一些干扰和压力，多一些王婆的真诚，也许才会成为促进中国人婚恋交友的催化剂。