The new contest was organized online, and its first round was held simultaneously in several major cities.

The contest is the latest in a trend of beauty contests for the rich that has been criticized heavily in the media, on the net, and even by the government.

More than 50,000 young beauties from across China have lined up to win a date with one of 18 young, millionaire bachelors.

Elites should "not flaunt their money to seek beautiful women as partners but invest their money in activities for the benefit of society," he argues.

Most contestants have already gone home in defeat, having failed an examination by feng shui masters to see whether they have a "lucky face", according to an article on the People's Daily's English website.

Only 18 finalists will ultimately date -- and, if they're lucky, marry -- the eligible young men.

Editorialist Zhang Tianpin complains that the contest is the kind of scandalous behavior that makes many Chinese hate wealthy people.

Editorials in the online edition of China Daily, mirroring the overwhelmingly negative public reaction, blast the contest as "money worship" and accuse it of treating women as sex objects.

China has seen a steady expansion of elite dating contests, TV shows and websites in recent years.

Vocal critics, however, are uncomfortable with the impact of these beauty contests on Chinese culture.

According to an online article in the Global Times, the government has ordered all TV stations to stop showing 22-year-old fashion model Ma Nuo after she made comments that Chinese audiences deemed "too materialistic."

On a TV dating show, Ma refused an unemployed man's offer of a bicycle ride, saying: "I would rather weep in a BMW than smile on your bicycle."