'Men without women' takes on unique Chinese characteristics

In 1927, American author Ernest Hemingway published in his Men without Women a series of short stories about men doing manly things because they don't want to - or can't - settle down.

Today, that work may have unexpected relevance on the mainland, where, thanks largely to the one-child policy, nearly 120 boys are born for every 100 girls. Mix in a widening wealth gap and a growing emphasis on material wealth and you get a gender gap of truly astounding proportions.

Take for instance the wife-hunting competition widely reported by the mainland media last week, in which 11 unwed tycoons drew applications from some 2,800 potential brides. That's nearly 255 would-be wives per bachelor.

These discerning tycoons have been culling the candidate pool by scrutinising everything from age and measurements to education and family pedigree. The richest of the bunch even offered 5 million yuan (HK$6.1 million) if organisers could find him a virgin.

'Our clients are looking for true love,' one organiser assured The Beijing News.

Contestants have had to undergo a battery of tests, including such questions as 'Do you mind if your husband cheats on you?' according to Yangcheng Evening News. One woman told the paper that the tests made even the civil-service exam look easy, widely thought to be the mainland's toughest.