Literature Review Template: Cold Intimacies in China — Matchmaking, Dating Apps, and the Commodification of Love

1. Contextualization — Main Areas of the Topic

Purpose:

Introduce the interdisciplinary field connecting intimacy, technology, and commodification within Chinese digital culture.

What to cite:

Zygmunt Bauman’s Liquid Love and Eva Illouz’s Cold Intimacies to frame emotional capitalism; Chinese sociological texts on modernization and dating culture.

Reflection Prompt:

How do dating apps transform intimacy into a measurable and market-driven experience, especially within China’s post-socialist context?

• Define “emotional capitalism” and “technological intimacy.”
• Identify gaps between Western theories and Chinese lived realities.
• Establish the central question: How do market logics shape love?

2. Historical / Theoretical Through-line

Purpose:

Trace the evolution from traditional matchmaking to algorithmic dating to show the historical continuity of commodified relationships.

What to cite:

Fei Xiaotong on kinship systems; studies on Shanghai Marriage Market and TV dating shows like Fei Cheng Wu Rao.

Reflection Prompt:

How has the logic of matchmaking shifted from moral lineage and family networks to datafied profiles and algorithms?