The position of women in China has changed profoundly, says Zhang Lijia, author and expert on China’s cultural change in The Persistent. “Growing up in China, I was told marriage was my destiny. For today’s young women, it’s a choice – and one many are rejecting,” she says.
Zhang Lijia:
China’s transformation from a poor, tightly controlled country into the world’s second-largest economy with far greater personal freedom has reshaped not only its cities but its expectations of women. Education has expanded. Careers have opened up. Financial independence has become far more common among urban women. With that independence comes a quiet but decisive shift: marriage is no longer necessary.
At the same time, the costs of marriage have risen, both materially and emotionally. Housing prices in major cities remain high, while raising children has become an increasingly demanding undertaking, shaped by fierce competition and rising costs.
Yet economics alone don’t explain the change. For one thing, there has been a rise in individualism in a society that was once all about the collective – meaning women are putting their own needs before those of others. More important is the widening gap between women’s expectations and the reality of marriage. Although young men contribute more at home than their fathers did, women continue to do the majority of childcare and domestic work, even among affluent urban couples. For many, marriage looks less like a partnership than an added weight — a second shift waiting at the end of the day.
Zhang Lijia is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.
Are you looking for more experts on cultural change at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.
