Now, here’s this big news about a ‘super’ matchmaker, a Taiwanese tradition …
‘Super’ matchmaker? I don’t know, but when you actually take the effective number that got married I guess I could do the same …
That’s what … 1-1.5% that got married … not that ‘super’ when you ask me … she’s super in keeping it up 30 years and cashing the money … if she charges for it that is … well, I guess I don’t get 5,000 years of Chinese culture yet … :s 
oh, and that this is news worthy …
[quote=“Belgian Pie”]Now, here’s this big news about a ‘super’ matchmaker, a Taiwanese tradition …
‘Super’ matchmaker? I don’t know, but when you actually take the effective number that got married I guess I could do the same …
That’s what … 1-1.5% that got married … not that ‘super’ when you ask me … she’s super in keeping it up 30 years and cashing the money … if she charges for it that is … well, I guess I don’t get 5,000 years of Chinese culture yet … :s oh, and that this is news worthy …[/quote]
Sounds like a “Madam” to me, in which case, she is a ‘super’ one.
I’ve actually had some first hand experience with this sort of thing. Or, more correctly, in relation to a colleague of mine. About three years or more ago I was interested in one of our kindergarten teachers (Taiwanese), and she was definitely interested, also. For a few months I was considering whether or not to make a move, because she seemed (and this feeling has since been confirmed) to be a very traditional sort of woman. At the end of the day I decided to go with my gut and not make a move, but as we worked together I remained cordial and friendly with small talk before and after classes. Just because I had decided not to pursue things didn’t mean I didn’t still find her attractive or interesting.
Eventually I met my wife, we dated and got married. As these things go in Taiwan, it was obviously no secret at work. A few weeks after I got married I noticed that a young Taiwanese man started coming by after work to pick her up. There didn’t seem to be any romance between them, as they behaved more like family towards each other. Not exactly cold, but more businesslike. With my curiosity getting the better of me I asked one of the other teachers if it was her brother that was picking her up. She related that actually it was her new (first) boyfriend. It turns out that she had seen me getting married and realised that I wasn’t “taking things slowly” and developing a friendship… So, she (and her mother) had gone to see a matchmaker. I thought this was strange and asked why would she do that? She’s pretty, educated, intelligent and has a good sense of humour. Reason was that she had decided that it was too hard to impossible to find a guy that is truly interested in getting married and settling down. Nearing 30 she had decided she wanted to get married, have children and didn’t feel like messing around in relationships that may or may not lead to that at some point. In short, she knew what she wanted and wasn’t willing to risk two or three years dating someone who may eventually not marry her. Ergo, the matchmaker.
After they got married she went back to her normal routine of driving herself home, eventually got pregnant and had a beautiful little girl. Can’t say I’ve seen any evidence of romance, but she seems to be very happy and has gotten what she was looking for. Her husband was looking for a a traditional Taiwanese girl that wanted to settle down and have a family, so both seem pleased by the outcome. Having seen and spoken to the chap on a few occassions he seemed like a very polite decent sort of bloke.
I’ve also noticed that one of the other ladies has decided to go the same route and also has a dashing young bloke picking her up after work everday…
From our western point of view this seems very strange. Where’s the romance? The love? The ups and downs and the not knowing? Does he/she love me? Will he ever propose? None of the Austen-ish angst we cherish. The hunt and the capture. But it seems to work for them. They want to get married without cocking around and go somewhere to find someone who wants exactly the same thing. Voila!
Different strokes and all that.
[quote=“bismarck”]After they got married she went back to her normal routine of driving herself home, eventually got pregnant and had a beautiful little girl. Can’t say I’ve seen any evidence of romance, but she seems to be very happy and has gotten what she was looking for. Her husband was looking for a a traditional Taiwanese girl that wanted to settle down and have a family, so both seem pleased by the outcome. Having seen and spoken to the chap on a few occassions he seemed like a very polite decent sort of bloke.
I’ve also noticed that one of the other ladies has decided to go the same route and also has a dashing young bloke picking her up after work everday…
From our western point of view this seems very strange. Where’s the romance? The love? The ups and downs and the not knowing? Does he/she love me? Will he ever propose? None of the Austen-ish angst we cherish. The hunt and the capture. But it seems to work for them. They want to get married without cocking around and go somewhere to find someone who wants exactly the same thing. Voila!
Different strokes and all that.[/quote]
I think this is a good point. Sure we’ve been conditioned by centuries of Western culture to expect wild passionate love, romance, princesses and castles, and whatever else nonsense. But other people haven’t. And at the end of the day if they have what they want and they’re happy, what’s the issue?
This happens in the west all the time, it’s just much less formal with no real rules and no one makes any money off it.
I do think someone could make a fortune by doing it formally here, though.
I went to a couple arranged-by-the-matchmaker-dates with a friend in S. Korea. She was in love with someone else, but that guy was married. Her parents didn’t know about him, but had decided it was time for her to marry. She asked me to go allong and sit a nearby tables and tell her what I though of the guys. It was really very interesting. She didn’t really like any of them and ended up married to the one her parents thought was best. To be sure, I also thought he would be the best pick for her because he seemed terribly smitten with her, was a hard worker and earned a good living, and was very easygoing and gentle. For her, there was no attraction. She said the thought of him touching her was, “like worms.”
Pretty neat process, though, and would likely not have such wormish outcomes if parents weren’t the ones who wanted the marriage in the first place.
Give me 100 Taiwanese guys and 100 Taiwanese girls who are desperate to marry.
I’ll have them fill out some questionｎaires； match the more attractive with the more attractive and . . . well . . . you know.
We’ll send them out on dates.
I bet at least four of the couples will get married within’ two years.
I’m that good.
[quote=“zender”]Give me 100 Taiwanese guys and 100 Taiwanese girls who are desperate to marry.
I’ll have them fill out some questionｎaires； match the more attractive with the more attractive and . . . well . . . you know.
We’ll send them out on dates.
I bet at least four of the couples will get married within’ two years.
I’m that good.[/quote]
Only four? I bet there’d be more given the right demographics…