Beijing - Chinese red tape was ignored yesterday to allow young unmarried lovers to celebrate Valentine's Day in a hotel bed, Miriam Donohoe writes. The regulation that couples booking a double room must have a marriage certificate was ignored as love won out in the battle with bureaucracy.
The state-controlled China Daily newspaper reported that one four-star hotel in the centre of Beijing - which had advertised a special rate for Valentine's Day, including free use of the swimming pool and sauna - ignored the marriage rule. A hotel employee said young couples had no need to tell lies about their marital status when they checked in last night.
Another hotel, contacted by The Irish Times and anxious not to be named, said a blind eye was also turned to the rule. Couples were offered rooms for between 500 and 600 Yuan ($55 and $65) with roses thrown in.
The relaxation of the rule is a further indication that a sexual revolution is sweeping China, with customs changing rapidly as more and more Western influences creep in. In Beijing, young people embraced Valentine's Day, with flower sellers doing a roaring trade.