The ABC of finding a partner

Mainland sociologists divide society into four broad demographic groups: A, B, C and D. A represents wealthy professionals, B and C are middle- and working-class, and D represents the rural poor and migrant labourers.

Females from category A and males from group D make up a large proportion of the single population.

This theory is based on the idea that most men want to marry women of lower social status than themselves. An A-group man seeks to marry a B-group woman, for instance, while a B-group man seeks to marry a C-group woman, and so on. Thus educated, well-paid females at the top of the ladder and unskilled male labourers at the bottom are finding it difficult to meet suitable partners.

'The 'surplus' single women are usually well-educated, independent and have a good income,' said Tong Xin from the sociology department of Peking University. 'They no longer have to rely on men financially and they prefer to remain single if they cannot find Mr Right.'

Summer Zhang, who works as a secretary for a trade company, has been a member of a white-collar singles club for more than two years. 'The women at the club are of a much higher standard than the men,' she said. 'I'm still waiting for the right man to come along, but I'm certainly not anxious about it,' she said.

But 34-year-old government employee Michael Zhou said many men found experienced, independent women intimidating.