On August 23rd, the final day of the 20th Qixi Festival Thousand Buddha Mountain Matchmaking Event, held in Jinan, saw a surge of single men and women heading to the mountain to find a partner. The event, which spanned five days, featured new digital interactive experiences and special guest appearances, creating a vibrant atmosphere.
Based on analysis of thousands of registered participants, a data report was released detailing key trends from this year's event. The findings show that male applicants continue to outnumber females, with those born in the 1990s remaining the dominant demographic and a growing number of individuals born after 2000 joining the matchmaking scene. Government and education sector workers top the list of professions, and nearly 70% of participants own both a car and a home. Notably, "good family values" emerged as a crucial consideration for both men and women when choosing a partner.
New trends also surfaced this year, including a preference against "fast-food romance," a greater emphasis on "emotional stability," and "regular daily routines" becoming a desirable trait in a potential partner.
Male applicants accounted for 53.24% of participants, while females made up 46.76%. This continues the trend from the previous event, indicating more single men are actively entering the matchmaking market. Those born in the 1990s represent over half of all applicants for the first time, at 51.99%, followed by the 1980s generation at 32.22%. Participation from the post-2000 generation is also rising, with applicants under 26 making up 5.38% of the total.
One female applicant born in 2003, who is financially stable and enjoys exploring food and travel, hopes to find a partner who loves cats, is emotionally stable, responsible, and has a steady job and income. A male applicant born in 2004, an only child with a car, home, and parents with pensions, describes himself as mild-mannered and is seeking a local Jinan woman whose parents have pensions, has no family debt, and shares his values and strong family orientation.
Highly educated individuals continue to be a hallmark of the Thousand Buddha Mountain event. Over 80% of this year's applicants hold a bachelor's degree or higher, with those holding master's or doctoral degrees accounting for 26.7%, an increase from the previous session. In terms of employment, most participants work in state-owned enterprises, government agencies, or education. The top three professions are state-owned or central enterprise workers, civil servants or public institution employees, and educators. "Job stability" is a common priority for both genders. Regarding assets, 68.13% of participants own both a car and a home, which is increasingly seen as standard in the matchmaking market.
Height remains a popular topic among netizens. The report shows that most female participants measure between 160cm and 168cm, with 4.91% above 173cm. Male heights are mostly concentrated between 173cm and 176cm, accounting for 31.92%, while 20.72% are over 181cm, further confirming the tall stature of Shandong locals.
In their self-introductions, male participants frequently mention keywords such as good family values, parents, hobbies, and being an only child, focusing on family and lifestyle interests. Females often highlight their parents' pensions, kindness, travel, and simple hobbies, emphasizing family background and life interests. When describing their ideal partner, men tend to value kindness, emotional stability, and reasonableness, whereas women prioritize character, ambition, stability, family values, and parents' pension status.
A male applicant born in 1996, who works at a central enterprise and has no debts on his improved car and home, notes his family's harmonious values. A female applicant born in 1988, also a central enterprise employee, is looking for a man with good character, responsibility, sound values, and a stable job, who is positive and has no bad habits. She emphasizes the importance of "good family values." Another female participant born in 1988, who works at a bank, hopes for a partner who does not smoke or drink excessively, is honest and kind, emotionally stable, and comes from a family with good values.
"Good family values" has become a key criterion in mate selection for both men and women at this event. Additionally, new preferences are emerging among young people, such as a distaste for "fast-food romance," a desire to take relationships slowly, and an increased focus on "emotional stability" as a non-negotiable trait. "Regular daily routines" have also become a bonus, as many hope to find a partner whose lifestyle matches their own.
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