Still struggling to find partners despite the glut of websites, clubs and events aimed at pushing them together, Shanghai's lonely hearts are being given yet more help in tracking down that special someone.

Arriving in the form of a bracelet that identifies wearers, both male and female, as 'single and looking,' the new accessory is designed to help singletons pick each other out in the crowd.

Mr. Sun and Ms. Zhang, both white-collar workers in Shanghai, fell in love at first sight after glimpsing each others' bracelets on the subway.

"I saw a young man next to me wearing the same bracelet as me and I noticed that he was looking at me too. When our eyes met, we both felt something between us," said Zhang.

She had picked up the bracelet, which is black with a red letter M, just moments before from outside Hengshan Road subway station, where they were being handed out.

According to the man who came up with the idea, a Mr. Wang who goes by the Internet name of "Shooting Star Prince," the bracelets are aimed at white-collars who are too busy working to spend time looking for a partner.

"If you have ever seen someone you liked on the bus or subway but not done anything about it, think what might have happened if you'd both had the bracelets on. If everyone looking for love wears these bracelets, we can really make things happen," said Wang in an online interview.

Having struggled to find a date himself, the 28-year-old office clerk who works for a foreign company in Shanghai realized public places such as buses and subways were an ideal place for singles to meet, if only they could identify each other.

"Just as I expected, the bracelets worked! There are already several couples who have met each other because of them," he added.

The venture has been sponsored by the "Let Us Marry" wedding company who are paying for the bracelets and handing them out free of charge.

"We consider it an interesting experiment and a good chance to extend our business from wedding planning to helping young people meet each other," said Let Us Marry manager Gan, adding that they were trying to attract more sponsorship.

Wang says the next two bracelet giveaways will be at People's Square in late July and at the South Shanxi Road subway station, in late August.

(China Daily July 6, 2006)