Passage Two Romance in China is often sacrificed to practicality; dating has largely become a commercial transaction. In Beijing parents gather in parks to introduce their children to one another. Singles' clubs set people up according to requirements-height, income, property. And tens of thousands participate in matchmaking events in cities like Shanghai looking for the perfect mate. “Marriage in many ways in China is a way of pulling resources," says Roseann Lake, a Beijing-based journalist researching a book on “sheng nv”. In one direction, at least, “The idea that a woman, no matter how successful she is professionally, is absolutely nothing until she is married-it still comes down to that.” Yes, China has experienced miraculous growth in the past three decades, but traditions are hard to shake Confucian ethics stress that marriage must satisfy societal duty over individual desire. The one-child policy has further reinforced these expectations. In China, the young are expected to provide for the old: whom you marry matters for your entire family. These concerns aren't evenly shared, and they expose something of a generation gap. Children of the 1980s and 1990s—who were born in better economic times and fed on pop music and movies-are in less of a hurry to get married than their parents were. Although China's changed birth rate means there will be a surplus ( 过剩 ) of about 24 million men in China by 2020,the majority of these singles will live in rural areas. In major cities-where the rate of housing costs to income can reach 12:1—finding a good match is a constant worry for educated, ambitious women. When Chinese Valentine's Day nears, preparations for dozens of matchmaking events, most aimed at marriage, are picking up. At the Huanleyuan Culture Club, a singles' club in Beijing—basic requirement: a college degree; annual membership fee: about $560—hundreds will be attending a gala matchmaking event. Ten thousand people are expected at a mass blind date in many cities. They'll be looking not just for an attractive smile or that spark of chemistry, but also for the promise of money and connections. 25. What's known about children of the 1980s and 1990s?