“Singles Day” was in full swing yesterday as multiple mass weddings took place across Taiwan.

111 newlyweds from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and Chunghwa Telecom swore undying love in a mass ceremony in Taipei, with Minister of Transportation and Communications Mao Chi-kuo in attendance.

Meanwhile 101 newlyweds in New Taipei walked the aisle in a separate service, with New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu there in person.

A total of 188 couples were wed in a ceremony in Kaohsiung presided over by Mayor Chen Chu.

Singles Day, which originated in Nanjing University in 1993, got its name because the date consists of four “ones,” and one means single or loneliness in Chinese. Single friends often celebrate the day by hanging out together.

A technology company in mainland China handed out a “love bonus” prize valued at 1000 yuan for previously single employees who have proven that they have started a relationship since the prize was offered. Meanwhile employees who recently ended a relationship can request for two paid days off in the month.

According to the company's planning supervisor, most employees in the office are male and about 80 percent of them are single. Many of them were obviously depressed about Singles Day, the supervisor said.

The purpose of this bonus was to cheer single employees up and many of them seem to be in a better mood at work, the supervisor added.