The age at which Chinese people get married and have children has steadily risen over the past 30 years, according to a new study.
The study, titled “Delaying Marriage and Childbirth in China from 1990 to 2020: Trends and Characteristics,” analyzes census and sampling survey data to explain trends in late marriage and childbearing.
According to this survey, the average age at first marriage nationwide rose from 22.87 years old in 1990 to 28.67 years old in 2020. Although there were small dips along the way, there was a clear upward trend in delaying marriage in both urban and rural areas.
The study found that the rate of unmarried people has also increased significantly over the past 30 years. In 1990, only 4.82% of Chinese people were unmarried at the age of 30, but that proportion increased to 21.75% in 2020.
The study, published in the academic journal Population Research, was authored by Zhang Xianling, an associate professor in the Department of Social Psychology at the Central University of Finance and Economics, and Shen Yinan, a professor in the Department of Labor Economics at Capital University. Degree in Economics and Business.
According to this study, education is an important factor in delaying marriage among young people. It was found that the higher the level of education, the more likely one is to delay marriage.
As more women in rural areas receive higher education, they are less likely to marry less educated men and more likely to remain unmarried throughout their lives, the study shows.
Almost 20% of men with only primary education were unmarried at age 40 in 2020, an 8% increase compared to 1990, Zhang said.
She said more rural women are going to cities to get an education and find work, making it easier to find men who can afford it, and this is contributing to lower educational attainment in rural areas. He added that this is the main reason why many men are unable to find a suitable partner.
In many regions, men continue to offer dowry to their prospective brides, making it difficult for men without financial means to find a suitable wife, Zhang said.
“We expect this trend to continue as urbanization increases and more women have access to better education, making it even more difficult for men with low education and financial resources to find a wife. “It will be,” she said.
He added that while it is important for men to get more education, work harder and improve their economic status, the social custom of betrothal should also be ended.
The study shows that Chinese women prefer to have children after marriage, so by default they are having children at an increasing age.
The average age of women giving birth increased from 26 years in 1990 to 29 years in 2020. This trend is more common among women in urban areas, where the average age at childbirth in 2020 was 30 years.
Yu Tingting, 31, from Changsha, Hunan province, got married two years ago. She said she and her husband decided to further improve their lives before having children.
“Having a baby now will be a big challenge for us. We are both very busy with work, so we have little time to take care of the baby. And the cost of raising a child is high. ” she said.
According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, approximately 6.83 million couples filed marriage registration last year, the lowest number in nine years.
According to a survey conducted by Zhenai.com, a popular marriage counseling site, more than 60% of women surveyed in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, support delaying marriage and childbearing, with 31-year-olds getting married later. It turns out that I think this is the best age for children.
More than 60% of women are single and have not been in a relationship for nearly two years.
Associate Professor Chan said many young people believe that marriage and having children are both optional. She added that the rising cost of living and the prospect of having to raise children under increased financial pressure are major deterrents.
