Updated on Monday, September 18, 2006, 00:00 IST

Think a blind date is too old-fashioned? How about give silent dating a try? More than 60 singles in Shanghai did just that recently in what is considered to be China's first silent dating event. Scribbling notes and drawings on small pieces of paper, the men and women, who were mostly working professionals in their 20s and 30s, did their best to impress their dates on the writing table.

We've had speed dating and dating in the dark - so why not silent dating. That's the view of an Internet agency in Shanghai. It's inviting its users to have blind dates without conversation.

Young men and women are invited to get to know each other by writing messages on bits of paper over a period of two hours.

Li Wenlong, Founder of dating Website 2BWM.com, said "There are a lot of people who aren't good at expressing themselves verbally but are good at writing out their thoughts, particularly people who spend a lot of time on the Internet so it really suits them."

The organisers insist on strict rules for the date. The male participants start the session by playing musical chairs to select their female partner. And anyone who breaks the no-speaking rules has sticky tape placed over their mouth. "Musicman" 29-year-old professional, said "We have to communicate through the written word and body language and that makes it really interesting." None of the silent daters has yet announced plans to marry. No doubt if they do married life will be very peaceful.

Bureau Report