Students at Fudan University will bid for a date and young, unwed office workers will start off for a three-day trip to Zhejiang Province to celebrate Singles Day tomorrow, and perhaps find that special someone.

A senior student at Fudan is organizing the first single-day bachelor and bachelorette auction in the school, and probably the first in the city, among the students and the fresh graduates, which has attracted much more people than the venue can hold.

Event organizer Pang Xinyue said all of the money raised during the event will be donated to poorly funded schools in western China.

Students will have the chance to bid for a date with six female students, two male students and two male graduates of the university.

The 10 people up for bid will specify the details of the date - whether it is a dinner date or a movie - and the winning bidders are expected to pay for the night out.

"I witnessed a similar party when I studied abroad in high school, and it was fun. So, when my friend told me about the event, I decided to be auctioned off," said Li Hao, a senior student.

Li said he isn't expecting to find a new girlfriend at the event. He is more interested in helping to raise money for needy schools and students in western China.

Pang said she originally came up with the idea as a way to promote his friend's new cafe among students. After seeing a bachelor auction on a foreign TV show, he thought it would be popular on campus.

"I didn't expect the event would attract so much attention. I hope that the event and attendants won't be under great pressure due to the great deal of media exposure," Pang said.

Meanwhile, 50 professionals aged 22 to 35, are packing to set off for a three-day matchmaking trip to Tonglu, Zhejiang Province. Yang Lida with Shanghai Travel Service admitted that they were inspired by recent media reports about various kinds of matchmaking activities.

"We believe that young people can communicate well when they are totally relaxed, and therefore traveling to a place with a good environment is a good choice," Yang said.

(Shanghai Daily November 10, 2005)