The silicone doll business is booming in China, thanks to men who seek these silicone women as lovers, female versions of themselves or even their own children. These life-like sized dolls are even affecting some people’s attitudes towards sex, as the media reported.
Men have been spotted taking their dolls out for a stroll in the park or a date at the movies, according to People’s Daily Online.
36 year-old stock trader Zhang Fan is one of these men. He sees his silicon doll as a female version of himself, which should be treated with respect because it is not a doll nor a toy, but instead an equal in personality.
“She is me as a female. Not some other woman,” Zhang was quoted as saying, adding that he had been dreaming of a female version of himself before he brought home the doll in 2013.
Zhang’s dresses up his doll in many different dresses and picks out jewellery to adorn his doll. He also enjoys taking photos of his doll on the street or in the park.
Zhang claimed that his parents were “successfully convinced” and has allow him to carry on with the doll, but they also insisted that Zhang should get married.
However, after two failed relationships, Zhang said marriage to him is too costly, with an apartment to buy and a child to raise.
Song Bo, 29, another doll owner sees his doll like his own daughter.
Diagnosed with a growing cyst on his head, Song said he sees marriage and having children as risky. Instead will keep his doll as his own daughter, according tothepaper.cn.
Unlike the two men Zhang and Song, 58 year-old doll owner under the pseudonym Li Chen is a former divorcee, and is about to marry a 24 year-old woman after being split up from his former partner 12 years ago. Li said that his doll helped him walk into the new relationship as he now feels young and that his body is stronger.
There are over 50 kinds of silicone dolls on the Chinese market. Wu Xingliang is familiar with the doll market, and according to him designs of a doll include their body figure, touch of skin, eye and hair colour. Most importantly is it’s ability to “build its character” or have a “soul”.