(Ecns.cn)--You don't have to turn to white papers to see how many social changes the country has undergone during the past three decades. Dating, for instance, is one aspect of society that has experienced drastic changes. The way people meet has changed and the way they date is no longer traditional.
The way dating has changed from the past can be seen as a snapshot of Chinese society. China is no longer a male-dominated society and the people are no longer what cultural conservative Gu Hongming described as "shy." Women enjoy just as much power, if not more, than men. In terms of a woman's parents having a say in who they marry, as was the case in the past, now women may consult their parents before marrying a guy, but that's all the say parents can possibly have on this matter now.
Another change that has taken place is the way people are dating now. Single people are constantly seen on TV shows and dating websites looking for a spouse. They may also start to date someone they met at a nightclub or even on a subway. When the feeling is right, people just jump into dating. However, none of these were even imaginable thirty years ago.
Back in the 1980s, Chinese youngsters depended heavily on colleagues from their work organizations, unions, and factories to set them up on a blind date. Also, there were a considerable number of couples set up by friends of their parents. During the date, usually, physical contact was strictly forbidden！no hand holding, no kissing, and absolutely no sex until the wedding.
As the 1990s came around, more than one decade since the Reform and Opening-up Policy, youngsters became much more "bold and brave" in pursuing personal happiness. The trend in which single individuals advertised for spouses reached its peak at this time, first in newspapers, then on television shows.
Youngsters were literally stunned, when in 1995 they first got access to a reality dating show from Taiwan. For the first time, people on the Chinese mainland realized another approach for seeking mates.
That was it. When it came to the new century, no one seemed in need of hints or implicitness anymore. There were too many dating websites, TV shows, and agencies that provided dazzling services to fix up blind dates.
Just a few years ago, dating entailed going out to dinner at a fine restaurant and then to a movie. Dinner conversations included the formality of being probed for information about oneself. What you do, what you like, and what your parents do were typically discussed. Hand-holding could occur when you left the restaurant or walked out from the movie theater. During the movie, kissing and other public displays of affection might also occur.
Now, people skip the getting to know each other part, or simply complete the procedure via emails or instant messaging. Also, the formality of asking someone to go out to dinner has been replaced with the phrase "Do you want to get some drinks?" and sometimes friends tag along. Since much of the communicating is done before the date, the date itself tends to focus on the activity, such as drinking, dancing, or watching a movie, all of which are followed, more often than not, by sex.
It's hard, even impossible, to predict future trends. Who knows what will happen in the next decade? All we can say is that, when you date someone, you also date the time you live in.
