US woman offers her hand and American citizenship path at Shanghai marriage market
Woman dons bridal gown and displays passport, touting her US citizenship as main selling point
A Western woman has invited bids for her hand and home country at the Shanghai marriage market, touting her US citizenship as her major selling point.
Photographs of the woman at the Shanghai market were posted on Sina Weibo by users last Saturday, and were shared by many.
The woman in the picture, dressed in a form-fitting wedding gown, held up a sign written in Chinese and English that offered “USA Citizenship through marriage to the highest bidder.” She also held her US passport in her other hand to confirm her offer.
The Shanghai marriage market is a matchmaking event held at the People’s Park in Shanghai for several hours every Saturday and Sunday, where hundreds of parents gather to search for suitable spouses for their children.
The parents pin information on their sons’ and daughters’ ages, height, weight, occupations and education levels on umbrellas, which they leave open for other parents to view.
The market has been criticised for being a platform that allows the elderly to arrange marriages for their offspring, but has also become a tourist attraction since it was established in 2004.
Renowned British actor Sir Ian McKellen tried his luck at advertising himself at the market last June, according to a post by the British Council on Sina Weibo.
The photographs of the American woman caused a stir on the internet, with some Weibo users expressing concern her offer was a financial scam or a form of prostitution.
One social media user commented, “Capitalism is the true evil. All things imaginable can be sold!”
