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.
回想毛主席年代的艰苦岁月里,中国还只是个自行车王国。那时年轻男士通常会问意中人一个简单的问题:“你愿意让我骑自行车载你出去吗?”而这种求爱方式却很奏效。但现如今,北京模特马诺所追寻的却是高级轿车和豪华约会。
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.
在国内收视最高的电视综艺节目中,她微笑着在数百万电视观众的注视下给对方一个让人无语的回答:就算约会出了问题,“我宁愿坐在宝马里哭”。像马诺这样22岁的“物质女孩”使《非诚勿扰》及其竞争对手《我们约会吧》一跃成为中国最著名的电视节目。
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月份开播以来,两档节目成功引发了人们对中国年轻一代拜金主义的激烈讨论。然而,宣传期间却爆出一系列丑闻,先是有人爆料某些选手是托儿,后又有人在网上发布某选手的不雅照,而该选手声称自己是被逼的。
The shows' popularity is easy to explain, says Tian Fanjiang, CEO of baihe.com, a matchmaking website. "There are 180 million single people in China," Tian says. "They and their parents are all worried about the marriage problem."
百合网首席执行官田范江说,这类节目受欢迎很容易解释。田说:“中国有1.8亿单身者,他们自己和他们的父母都为婚姻问题担心。”