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Is It True that All Women in China Get Married?
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Is It True that All Women in China Get Married?

Qian Yue
Yi Xi Club, 2018
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Analytical
  • Background
  • For Beginners

Recommendation

In China, like in many Asian countries, less than 5% of the female population traditionally remained unmarried at age 50. How much of this has changed? Qian Yue, a sociologist and associate professor at the University of British Columbia, shared her research on marriage patterns in China at the 2018 Yixi conference (an event comparable to TEDGlobal) and revealed some surprising figures. She explains how Chinese women and men can better navigate marriage life as the institution of marriage evolves alongside China’s social and economic progress. getAbstract recommends Qian’s talk to anyone interested in social change in China as well as to those confused by modern romance and family life.

Take-Aways

  • Only about 5% of 30- to 34-year-old Chinese women are unmarried, though the numbers are higher in first-tier cities. 
  • Chinese women with advanced degrees are more likely to delay marriage or to choose not to get married at all.
  • While society has opened up more possibilities for women and men alike, traditional roles within the household haven’t changed much; the qualities women look for in a potential spouse haven’t changed much either. 

About the Author

Qian Yue is an assistant sociology professor at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on the gender-gap reversal in marriage patterns as it pertains to education.

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