From 6 pm guests began arriving at an exclusive address called Abundant Green Garden on Hengshan Road, some of them in Lincoln limousines arranged by the organizer, a matchmaking website www.915915.com.cn.

To disguise their identities from photographers' cameras, all guests scurried into the venue wearing a face mask, some even using a paper bag.

A 25-year-old financial analyst who identified herself as Mi, told media she earned between 10,000 and 20,000 yuan per month.

"My social network is quite small," she said.

"I paid for membership to the website one year ago, but this is my first time to this event because I am too busy."

Mi said refused to reveal the exact amount she paid for membership but admitted it was "quite an amount".

For a one-year membership, the website charges from 100,000 yuan to 1 million yuan.

The website boasts having accumulated 100,000 members in one year.

Tan Chao, the website's marketing director, said the company provided different services including consultations and dating arrangements.

"For those who pay most, we will try different means, not within our own club, until we find them the right one," he said.