Chinese couples still favor marriage at 26

(A couple pose for pictures after registering for marriage at a marriage registration office in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province, Nov 11, 2015, or the "Singles Day" called by many netizens and young people. Many young people chose to register for marriage on the "Singles Day" to bid farewell to their bachelorhood. [Photo/Xinhua])

AnewsurveyhereinChinaissuggestingthatwhiletrendssurroundingmarriageinChinahavebeenchanging,traditionalvaluesarestillengrainedinChinawhenitcomestopeoplefindingamate.

ThereportshowsthecurrentaverageageatwhichChinesepeoplegetmarriedremainsat26.

About75percentofmengotmarriedbetweentheagesof25and34,whilemorethan90percentofwomenfoundtheirhusbandsbeforeturning30yearsold.

Closeto55percentofthosesurveyedgottoknowtheirspouseswiththehelpoffriends,whilepeoplebornafter1980dependedmoreontheinternettofindtheirmatch,morethananyotheragegroups.

SociologistLiSongsaysattitudestowardsmarriageamongChinesepeoplehavechangedoverthepastdecades.

"Peopleborninthe1960saremoreeagertohaveastablelife,spousesborninthenextdecadethinkmoreabouthowtoimprovemarriage.Thepost-1980sgenerationappeartobemoreromantic,whilethosebornafter1990wantmorerecognitionfromtheirmarriagepartners."

Thereportshowsmostcouplesstillfollowthetraditionthatwivesdomostofthehouseworkwhilehusbandsthinkmoreaboutthefamily'sfinancialstatus.

Therateofpre-marriagecohabitationamongcouplesbornafter1980exceeds57percent,10percenthigherthaninearliergenerations.

Contrarytoexpectations,onlyaround15percentofthosesurveyedconsideredwealthakeycriteriaforselectingaspouse,whilemorethan90percentsaidthattheyputmoreemphasisonasenseofresponsibilityandemotionalintelligencewhenlookingforapotentialpartner.

SociologistLiSongsaysthereissomethingthatcanbefoundineveryhappyfamily.

"Coupleswithastrongsenseofhappinessusuallyspendmuchmoretimetogetherraisingandeducatingtheirchildren.Theyshareequalresponsibilitywhendealingwithfamilymattersandtakingcareoftheirparents."

Thesurveyresultsalsoshowthatjustover45percentofrespondentsmarriedpartnersfromtheirownarea,afigurethathasdecreasedduringChina'surbanizationprocess.

Asexpected,loyaltyisstillseenasthemostimportantfactorformaintainingahealthymarriage.

Morethan80percentofthosesurveyedsaidtheyhadneverconsidereddivorce.

LoveandmarriageexpertChenXusuggests,besidesmutualtrust,responsibilityisalsovitalforastablemarriage.

"People,especiallythoseatayoungage,shouldtakeitseriouslywhenmakingthedecisiontogetmarriedorhaveababy.Divorceisnotaperfectoptioninthefaceofamarriagecrisis.Youngpeopleshouldlearntobemoreresponsibleaftergettingmarried."

ThereportwaspublishedbytheChinaAssociationofMarriageandFamilyStudies.

Over10,000responseswerecollected,spanning10majorChinesecities,includingBeijingandGuangzhou.

(A wedding motorcade of classic British TX4 taxis drives along the street in Jiangsu province's capital Nanjing. Chinese weddings are often used to show off wealth. Wang Luxian / For China Daily)