Zhang Yang

    nicolezyyy@163.com

    RACHEL YANG is facing pressure from her parents to get married, like many other unmarried young people in Shenzhen. A research report released by China Youth Concern Committee showed that over 70 percent of single people aged below 40 in China have been urged to get married by families.

    “My parents ask me to consider getting married whenever a related topic comes up, but I don’t think I am ready,” Yang said. The 27-year-old, who was born and raised in Shenzhen, has a boyfriend who she has been with for four years.

    Yang said she doesn’t reject the idea of getting married, but she and her boyfriend need time to get mentally and economically prepared.

    “It’s widely accepted in Chinese society that people should get married when reaching a marriageable age, but many young people have a different idea,” she said, adding that some of her friends are intent on improving their personal lives or accomplishing career goals before settling down in marriage.

    “The high divorce rate nowadays makes people cautious about choosing their long-term partners when getting married,” she said. “It’s better to find problems in a relationship before jumping into marriage on a whim.”

    Chen Xi, a 28-year-old who came to Shenzhen from northern Guangdong Province four years ago, believes people’s views on marriage depend on what they value.

    “When I told my friends that I don’t want to get married or have children, some of them thought it was weird or a bit extreme. They believe marriage and children are indispensable parts of a woman’s life,” Chen said.

    Chen said sometimes her parents urged her to find a boyfriend, but it’s mostly because they hope someone will look after her in Shenzhen.

    “I told them it’s no longer popular to get married at an early age nowadays, and I would rather wait for true love than marry someone who I may not be happy with,” she said, adding that her parents have been influenced by her ideas.

    Li Xiang, the spokesperson of the China Youth Concern Committee, said 86 percent of people between 25 and 30 have been pressured by families to get married, but young people in first-tier cities face less pressure from parents than those in second and third-tier cities, according to the Foshan Daily.

    The report also showed that women are confronting more pressure than men when it comes to marriage, although young men in Guangdong are the most likely to fake a relationship to relieve pressure from their families to find a girlfriend.