Once a person's details are logged, then the matching begins. The first thing they look at is age, then height, followed by occupation. Height is a discriminating factor because almost all of our female applicants say the man must be taller, and the taller he is the better, Jan said. Zodiac signs, blood types and other such beliefs are used as reference tools, but are not crucial, unless specified by a client.
After a potential match is made, the couple is invited on a chaperoned date at one of the centers, where hundreds of prospective spouses meet every weekend. Jan said it takes an average of 15 to 20 meetings to find the right person -- apart from the occasional love at first sight, or "matches made in heaven," as she referred to them.
As far as matches made in hell, there haven't been any, she said. Of the 2,000 successful matches made to date, there are only four known divorces.
They might not be bombarded by complaints but there is no shortage of requests. The most common is women who want to marry doctors. The most specific request was made by a district attorney who brought in a photo of a Taiwanese actress and said, "This is my type, but she must be under 30 [years of age]."
"I told him he should be more realistic, but he just said,"I'll wait."
Eight years later, he's still waiting.
With their hefty annual membership fee, six branches and plans to expand to the US, the Jan's have made a lucrative business out of love. But they're sure to insist that money is not what's important.
"Actually money is not our first concern. If we feel someone is a good person, then we want to help them find the right partner and we usually won't ask them to pay a membership fee every year," Jan said.
Super Matching by Mama Jan is available to all residents in Taiwan, provided they have a job. For more information in Chinese, check online at www.mamajan.com.tw, or call (02) 8773 5233 and speak to Mama or Papa Jan.
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