Increase in Cases Choosing Estrangement from Family in China
Experts Say "Aversion to Traditional Family Culture Is the Cause"
Recently, it has been reported that some young people in China are increasingly choosing to sever ties with their families to avoid parental interference in issues such as marriage and employment.
According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 13th, posts have been continuously appearing on Chinese social networking services (SNS) such as Douban and Xiaohongshu, stating that users have cut off contact with their families to avoid forced marriages or comparisons with others.
One local netizen said on SNS, "Even though I am independent, my parents keep prying into my private life and comparing me to other children," adding, "It was emotionally difficult, so I cut off contact."
Only 3 out of 10 Chinese Youth Keep in Touch with Their Families
Graduation ceremony at a university in China. The unemployment rate among college graduates has emerged as a serious social issue within China. [Image source=Yonhap News]
In fact, a survey showed that affection among families, especially among the younger generation, has decreased compared to the past.
Last year, Hu Xiaowu, an associate professor at the School of Sociology of Nanjing University, conducted a survey of 1,200 Chinese youths aged 18 to 30. Only 30% responded that they "continue to keep in touch with family and relatives." In other words, only 3 out of 10 young people maintain regular contact with their families.
In an interview, 38-year-old woman Liu Lian revealed, "Since I was young, my father made only the women do housework. My younger brother was always the favored one." She added, "After becoming an adult, I struggled between the responsibility to be filial and my resentment, and eventually decided to cut off contact." She further said, "If my father becomes ill, I will pay for his medical bills, but that is all."
Regarding this phenomenon, Professor Hu Xiaowu pointed out, "It is caused by a backlash against traditional family culture." He explained, "Young people are under pressure to work hard at school and work while also spending time with their families," and analyzed, "In this context, they voluntarily sever ties with their families."
He added, "The increasing cases of the younger generation voluntarily cutting ties with their families could serve as a good opportunity for the older generation to reflect on their own issues."
Chinese Youth Giving Up Marriage Due to Economic and Employment Difficulties
Meanwhile, in China, the number of people giving up marriage due to economic hardship and employment difficulties is increasing. According to the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs, the number of couples registering their marriage in China in 2022 was 6.835 million, a 10.6% decrease from 2021. The number of marriage registrations in China peaked at 13.469 million in 2013 and has been declining ever since.
However, there is an analysis that the decrease in the number of marriages is due to the decline in the population of marriageable age itself. In fact, birth rates in China have steadily declined since 1987.
Additionally, in rural China, the 'caili' (dowry given by the groom's side to the bride's family) has been distorted into a means of 'making money,' leading some young people to avoid marriage altogether.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
