One in every five Chinese marriages now ends in divorce, double the rate a decade ago.
Beijing has the highest divorce rate nationwide, with 39 percent of all marriages ending in a split.
This trend is sparking concern. Experts fear that the divorce rate will continue to soar, particularly among the younger generation of Chinese born under the country’s one-child policy and during China’s explosive economic growth.
Six years ago, one of China’s most popular soap operas was called Chinese-Style Divorce. It was the tale of a struggling couple, wracked by financial stresses and misunderstandings that were never addressed. The cracks in their relationship grew into a gulf, then their marriage fell apart.
Six years on, that is not the story of today’s Chinese-style divorces. For China’s “me generation,” the latest trend is “lightning weddings” ”” or instantaneous weddings ”” which often end in correspondingly fast divorces.
I wonder if the shortage in women in China has anything to do with these statistics….. I can think of several things that would result sociologically within a women-short society.
Don
Maybe divorce is a by product of a consumer society which is antithetical to contentment. When one has so many choices, then the consumer rarely is satisfied because there might be a newer or better product coming on the market soon and marketers don’t want you satisfied because there is money to be made if you buy something more. Relationships will take their toll, too. If I’m not happy with the current relationship, well, there is someone newer or better out there…I have to just find it.