Singles Day
Singles Day is a celebration popular among young Chinese. On this day, they celebrate their single status. Also known as Guanggun Jie in Mandarin, the date November 11 was chosen because the number ‘1’ resembles an individual who is alone. Of late, this celebration has also become a popular day to celebrate relationships. Couples in China get married on this day. Singles Day started at Nanjing University in 1993 by four single male students and its popularity spread to other universities in China during the 1990s. It is named ‘Singles Day’ because November 11 comprises four ‘1’, representing four singles. Today, this occasion is widely celebrated by both men and women. People in China also take the opportunity to shop on this day - both online and offline shopping. The popularity of Singles Day as a great shopping opportunity has spread outside China, particularly in Southeast Asia. Singles Day has become the world’s largest shopping event.