Speaker 1:

One of China's favourite TV programmes is being filmed in a Shanghai studio. Lonely hearts and the quest for love make for popular family entertainment. The candidates are required to exhibit their special talent. This girl hopes to impress the man of her dreams by singing him a love song.

Speaker 2:

[foreign language]

Speaker 1:

The presenter's job is to lull the TV audience into sharing China's aspiration for a perfect world. The country is bound by convention but yearns to be modern, so the female participants try to project an image of a feminine yet independent woman.

Another girl introduces herself. She works as a personal instant. Her hobbies include surfing the Internet and cooking. She's even brought her favourite dish along with her, Peking duck. The presenter clearly approves of her culinary prowess.

Speaker 3:

[foreign language].

Speaker 1:

This girl wants to woo a future husband with her sewing skills. Her fashionable designs are displayed on the big screen for everyone to admire and discuss.

Dancing, too, is a social skill no eligible woman should be without. It takes several hours to record the programme. Next time, it will be the male contestants turned to show off their talents.

Speaker 4:

[foreign language].

Speaker 5:

Very good.

Speaker 4:

[foreign language].

Speaker 1:

Of course, everyone has to sample Peking duck.

Speaker 6:

[foreign language]

Speaker 1:

This member of the audience has been doing his homework. His appraisal of the show is politically correct. If it wasn't for the modernization of China, great shows like this wouldn't be possible. We could never have dreamed of this before.

Speaker 7:

[foreign language]

Speaker 1:

This girl says that her TV appearance is an effective way of presenting herself and making friends.

Speaker 7:

[foreign language]

Speaker 8:

Heres my friend and my colleague.

Speaker 1:

This contestant says that his friend has already been on an earlier show and really enjoyed it. He made lots of friends, and it persuaded him to try his luck too.

Speaker 8:

This is a very good place to make friends, to make friends [inaudible].

Speaker 9:

And everything went successful the last time?

Speaker 1:

His friend, however, was unsuccessful and is still without his ideal partner.

Once a couple have gone through their courtship, the wedding is a very serious matter. Certain protocol and rituals have to be followed. The most important of which is the planning and shooting of the extensive range of wedding photos. Picturesque parks and gardens team with wedding parties, especially on public holidays. Photographers are always on the look out for the most charming locations. These bushes offer a serene and secluded spot. The right pose has to be practised to perfection. For Asians, not losing face matters more than anything, quite literally when it comes to their wedding photos.

The photos alone can swallow up several months' salary. The entire wedding with a reception, car hire, clothes, and presents can take years to pay for. The bride and groom are quite shy and aren't sure who should speak first. The groom says ladies first.

Speaker 10:

[foreign language]

Speaker 1:

A wedding is the most important thing in anyone's life.

Speaker 10:

[foreign language]

Speaker 1:

Now, it's about time you said something.

Speaker 11:

[foreign langauge]

Speaker 1:

Yes, marriage is definitely the most important thing. That's why wedding photos are such a tricky business. You have to make sure you choose the right ones.

It's certainly hard work even later in the photographer studio. The bride and groom have to change out of one outfit into the next all day long. A lot of them complain not just about the cost but that the long winded preparations are almost unbearable. A few small distractions are included in the price, a small snack or a bridal fashion magazine to alleviate the boredom. The decorations, accessories, and backdrops have to be changed constantly. A different mixture of styles is meticulously arranged, traditional and modern, oriental and western.

The studios which specialise in wedding photography are fully booked. 100000 couples get married in Shanghai every year. New industry has been born, following in the footsteps of its western trendsetter. The young couple's needs are catered for in every possible way.

Having endured the lengthy preparations, they now have to smile their way through the high point of the day, the wedding reception. More photo calls with as many different combinations of guests as possible.

Speaker 12:

[foreign language]

Speaker 1:

The best man announces the programme. First, the cake will be cut. Then the feast will begin.

Wedding cakes were only introduced into China in 1994, but nowadays it is impossible to imagine a wedding without one.

Speaker 12:

We invite the relative, closer friends, colleagues together to celebrate that this is culture. We do not go to the temple. We do not go to the church. This is the dining wedding only.

Speaker 1:

Indeed, dining, drinking, having fun, and keeping up appearances are of paramount importance. In Shanghai, at least, the spiritual significance of marriage seems to be disappearing as ancient Chinese culture gradually trickles away into history. Nothing seems able to stem the flow of globalisation from the west as it sweeps away oriental tradition in its path.