Growing Marriage Avoidance Culture Among Young Adults in China
A woman doctor in her 40s living in Shanghai, China, has attracted attention by publicly seeking a marriage proposal with '11 conditions.'
According to Chinese online media 'Sina.com' and others, 41-year-old woman 'Raem,' who resides in Shanghai, recently announced that she is "looking for a lifelong partner" and began searching for a husband candidate.
However, she set a total of 11 conditions for her 'husband candidate.' According to the conditions, among men currently living in Shanghai, the candidate must △ have graduated from a prestigious Chinese university with at least a bachelor's degree △ be at least 180 cm tall △ have an annual after-tax income of over 1 million yuan (about 190 million KRW).
Additionally, the conditions included △ handsome appearance △ sharp nose bridge △ white teeth △ no hair loss △ good eyesight not requiring glasses. The candidate must also own a house with at least three bedrooms in Shanghai and possess a private car worth over 1 million yuan.
Regarding this, Raem explained, "After several failed relationships, I found the perfect ideal type," and added, "I want to find someone who meets these conditions and get married."
Chinese wedding. The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]
She also emphasized, "I also live in Shanghai, come from a well-off family that invested in me, and earned a PhD after studying. I am skilled in piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and graduated from a prestigious university, so I think I can expect these conditions."
The conditions sparked controversy among Chinese netizens. While some criticized Raem with comments like "She probably won't get married for life" and "This is why there is a marriage avoidance phenomenon," others defended her, saying, "She wants to choose a spouse that matches her abilities, so it's not something others should complain about."
Meanwhile, as marriage avoidance among Chinese youth worsens, the number of newlywed couples recently dropped to an all-time low. Although the decline in marriageable population due to aging also affected the drop in marriage rates, economic burdens related to marriage preparations played a significant role.
According to a report by Hong Kong media 'South China Morning Post (SCMP)' citing Chinese government data, the number of newlywed couples registering their marriage in 2021 was 7.64 million pairs. This figure marks the eighth consecutive year of decline and is the lowest since related statistics began in 1985.
China is known as a country that spends a lot on wedding ceremonies. It is common to rent huge wedding halls and hold grand events, and the groom's wedding gift culture known as 'Chaili' still remains. Chaili refers to cash and valuables given by the groom's family to the bride's family at the time of engagement.
At the end of last year, a man who spent 510,000 yuan (about 97 million KRW) on Chaili and separated from his wife just one month after marriage made headlines by staging a 'one-person protest' at his in-laws' house.
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