A couple Once considered a symbol of the West, Valentine's Day is becoming big business in China. This Valentine's Day, Shanghai banker Richard Fan will be buying his wife a 40,000 yuan (US$5,100) Cartier wrist watch. "I think it's a better gift than some 10,000 or 20,000 yuan meal," said Fan, 37. "A gift you can use daily looks much more concrete," he added. The watch's price tag is 12 times more than the average Chinese farmer earns in a year. Among Valentine's Day gift ideas on offer in Shanghai is a $1,000 wine-and-dine package that includes limousine transfers, personal butlers and candle-lit dinners. "People who earn more in Shanghai require something different for their special days," said Joan Pan, a manager at the JW Marriott Hotel, situated on the city's fashionable Nanjing Road. This year for Valentine's Day, the hotel is offering a 28,888 yuan package, including an overnight stay in either its Chairman's Suite or the Presidential Suite. Expensive? Not nearly as much as one hotel which last year offered a Valentine package for a staggering 188,888 yuan ($24,000). The night included a romantic cruise on a luxury yacht along the waters of the Huangpu River. Even some in the industry were shocked by that extravagance. "It attracted attention for sure, but I'm not sure it gave people a positive impression," said one Shanghai-based hotel manager. 點擊查看更多雙語新聞 (Reuters)

曾被視為“洋節日”的情人節如今漸漸成為中國的一個“大產業”。 上海某銀行的高級職員Richard Fan為妻子準備的情人節禮物是一塊價值4萬元的卡迪亞腕表。 37歲的范先生說：“我覺得這比花上一兩萬塊錢吃頓飯要好。” 他說：“送個每天能用到的東西感覺要‘實在’得多。” 這塊手表的價格相當于中國普通農民一年收入的12倍。 此外，價值1000美元的情人節套餐也成為上海的一大新潮，套系內容包括豪華轎車接送、私人管家服務和燭光晚餐。 位于上海時尚大街南京路的萬豪國際大酒店的Joan Pan經理說：“上海收入較高的人過這些節日總喜歡來點與眾不同。” 萬豪大酒店今年情人節推出了一款價值28888元的套餐，預訂者可以在情人節當天在主席套房或總統套房共度浪漫之夜。 覺得貴嗎？這可遠遠比不上去年萬豪推出的價值高達18萬8888元的情人節套餐。去年這一套系的內容還包括乘坐豪華游艇在黃浦江上“浪漫夜游”。 甚至一些業內人士也驚嘆于這種奢華。 上海某酒店的經理說：“這確實能吸引注意力，但我不好說這一定能給別人留下好印象。” （英語點津姍姍編輯）