Against Tradition

    As known to all, since ancient times Chinese people are emotionally reserved. Husband and wife treat each other with courtesy like guests. They will not observe Valentine's Day in actuality or in their hearts.

    Sun Xiaolin, a white-collar worker in the advertising industry, earns a handsome salary, but he never thinks of celebrating Valentine's Day. He and his wife married seven years ago and they have a six-year-old daughter. He told this reporter, "When we were dating we had no money to observe Valentine's Day. Now we've been married for so many years we feel it unnecessary to do so."

    His wife, Mrs. Zhao, agrees with her husband. She said, "It's not that we never express our emotions. We think it's better to be more straightforward and let each other know the other's mind at any time. There's no need to wait until February 14. Our romance is more practical. I buy clothes or other useful things instead of flowers or chocolate."

    Zhang Lei, aged 27, said that she received a bouquet from her boyfriend on Valentine's Day several years ago. She admitted that she was moved upon seeing the flowers. But regarding observing this Western festival, she said, "If I have time, I will cook a delicious dinner for him. If I have no time, then we let it pass us by."

    Su Dan thinks that it is affectedly unconventional to observe Valentine's Day. "To me, observing Valentine's Day has nothing to do with love." Su Dan and his wife began to date when they were university students. They registered their marriage in June 2009. Su Dan said that on Valentine's Day he might send a short text message at most, and will not bend over backwards to make special arrangements. He said, "We can celebrate on any date, why limit ourselves to that day?"

    Valentine's Day is called "qingren jie" in Chinese, literally, "lover's day." Qingren means "lover," and also means "extramarital affair," which is misleading. Many people think that to observe Valentine's Day is to celebrate with an extramarital lover instead with wife or husband.

Filthy Lucre and Lonely Hearts

    Many people avoid the feast of lovers because of the taint of commercialism: the price of roses, chocolate, special menus and various kinds of gifts soars. Under the false conditions of "holiday economics," commercial firms extort money in the name of love, and have aroused people's disgust.

    Regarding this, Feng Jicai said, "Actually this is a result of the economic globalization. Following the growing power of the market economy, selling points from human culture are selected to form 'holiday economics', measuring people's emotions with the price of gifts. Beautiful feelings are compromised by the stink of money."

    Sun Xiaolin agrees with this viewpoint. He said that Valentine's Day is nothing but a pretense of commercial interests to lure lovers to consume. The prices on that day are higher than ordinary days. "The price of a single rose rises from 2-3 yuan to more than 10 yuan. It is not worthwhile. We will choose to go to cinema, and save the money to buy a garment for our daughter."

    Another reason why many young people avoid observing this holiday is the monotony of activities such as eating Western food and watching films. Yi Siting, a bank clerk, said that neither she nor her husband care to observe Valentine's Day. "We don't like the feeling of mingling with others." She thinks honoring romantic love is well meant and worth the effort; however on Valentine's Day itself Yi Siting chooses to stay at home. She said, "It's crowded everywhere. Restaurants and cinemas are packed with paired lovers. It's actually a bore."

    On grounds like this it is rational for singles to avoid observing Valentine's Day rather than form a Lonely Hearts club. Ms Fan, a single woman, told this reporter that she has no feeling toward Valentine's Day. Seeing the paired lovers on the streets and the excess publicity of this Western holiday created by commercial firms seems to magnify her loneliness. "Sometimes my parents exert pressure on me regarding that day, urging me to find a boyfriend as soon as possible. It's unfortunate." Some single people even staged a demonstration called "Lovers go to hell." They wear uniforms with the slogan "Lovers go to hell" and chant on the streets for others to boycott money-tainted romancing and extramarital love affairs.