With an estimated 180 million singletons in China and people traditionally marrying early, the race to find a soulmate before surpassing the sell by date is frantic. Singles fairs, where CVs are passed around, speed-dating, and lessons in the art of seduction are all examples of a booming westernised market. However, there is a massive imbalance in the sexes due to the penchant for male offspring since the single-child policy was introduced in 1980. Future brides are in short supply, and the men most likely to find a wife are those in a strong financial position.