In a typical arranged marriage in China, a family with a son or daughter of suitable age would engage a matchmaker, who would cast his or her net for potential candidates and conduct the necessary background checks on their reputation and character, as well as the social status and financial position of their families.

Was matchmaking a thing in China?

Young people who put their wishes for a mate above the wishes of their parents were considered immoral. Chinas matchmaking tradition stretches back more than 2,000 years, to the first imperial marriage broker in the late Zhou dynasty.

Are there still match makers in China?

The culture of picking a mate based on parental approval is still inherent in modern Chinas practices of matchmaking (Zhang 2011). One respondent explained, With marriage markets, parents have the ability to screen potential spouses before introducing them to their children.