Why do Chinese women (men) hold hands?

8.9 million Chinese who work the same schedule:

What do 8.9 million (population of Wuhan) Chinese people who work the same 9 to 5 schedule 5 days a week do on weekends? They all go out… at the same time. On weekends, you can forget leisurely travel through the city or the hope of a seat on the bus. You can forget strolling down wide avenues; the avenues are still wide but now are crowded by a sea of bobbing, black, shiny-haired heads (and umbrellas). And remember: they hold hands or drape their arms around one another, giving an additional challenge to navigating pedestrian traffic without breaking up a physically linked group. It seems nobody stays home in Wuhan on the weekend; everyone is out in the streets, in the malls, on the buses, on the ferry. If traffic is heinous during the week, it is flat murder on the weekend. Any plans for outings must start at 7AM or earlier or you run the risk of not being able to realize your plans. That would mean that I wouldn't get back to campus before dark… shame on me for flouting rules!