Speaking of marriage activity, it is a word that has been used here and there since the word came out a few years ago. Marriageable age is later than before, partly because of the advancement of women in society. As a result, it is said that the number of people who do not get married and those who cannot get married is increasing so much that marriage activities are necessary. However, Japan is not the only country where such marriage activities are carried out. Here in China as well, serious marriage activities are taking place. This time, I will explain about the circumstances of marriage in China.
Damages of One Child Policy
More men than women
China declared the end of the one-child policy a few years ago, but China has long introduced a system called the one-child policy. Speaking of one-child policy, it is well known in Japan. The one-child policy is that you have to have one child, and if you have a second child, you have to pay a lot of money, so if you can’t afford it, if you have a second child, the second one will have a family register. Some people may have the image that there is no such thing.
That’s true, and many Chinese are only children. However, this policy has led to an increase in men in China. In the first place, it may be a country of men and women, but there was a tendency for people to be pleased when a boy was born. It was also thought that boys would be better, especially if it was a house that required hard work or a house where succession was important.
Therefore, it is still legally prohibited in China to check the sex of a baby before it is born. Because of the bad effects of this one-child policy, if the foetation in the abdomen is found to be a girl, the mother will have an abortion or kill the baby born by taking various medicines. This is because the number of cases has increased (on the other hand, there are many doctors who actually tell us the sex of the fetal).
Exception of One Child Policy
However, there are actually various exceptions to the one-child policy. For example, in some areas, if the first child born is a girl, there is an exception that it is okay to have another child. This is also good for boys, but for girls, it is a way of thinking based on male-dominated women.
Furthermore, the one-child policy does not apply to minority ethnic groups. For example, most of China is Han Chinese, but if you are not Han Chinese, you do not have to follow the one-child policy. So, surprisingly, there are many people who are not only children. Many of my friends in their twenties have younger brothers, older sisters, and so on.
Thinking that way, the number of boys and girls seems to be zero, but this one-child policy has increased the number of men in China’s population. As a result, there was no woman even if she wanted to get married.
Marriage is more difficult for men
Marriage requires a lot of expense
Therefore, for Chinese men, there are no women, so even if they want to get married, they cannot get married. However, even in Japan, for example, in the case of an only child, there are problems such as heirs, graves, and Buddhist altars. Similarly, marriage is an important issue in China, especially for only child men.
Another reason that raises the bar for marriage is that marriage costs money. In Japan, it is common for both families to pay 50% of the cost for a wedding, but in China, the male side pays the full amount for the wedding. As you can see from the large population of China, you have to invite hundreds of people to invite your relatives to their wedding. And since that is common, it can be said that there are more than 200 attendees at weddings. A friend of mine recently joined us, but he said that if we were to have a wedding, we would have to invite more than 100 relatives to each other, and there were many relatives who didn’t even know their faces.
Also, men pay more than just weddings. It is said that men have to buy new houses and cars where two people live. However, when I asked a female college student I knew, I was told that “I also work, so I will pay for it.” So it’s a traditional idea that all men have to pay. However, the fact that it costs money to get married certainly raises the hurdle for marriage for men.
Where you were born is very important
There are registered domiciles and resident cards in Japan, but there are similar ones in China. In China, there is something called “Hùkǒu”, and it seems that it is basically registered in the city where it was born. In Japan, your registered domicile can be anywhere, and you can move your resident card as soon as you move. However, it is said that it is almost impossible to move this “Hukou” in China.
In addition, you can only work where there is a “Hukou”. For example, if you have a “hukou” in the countryside, no matter how much you want to make money, you can’t go to the cities of Beijing or Shanghai to work. It can be said that this site creates regional disparities. However, many people come to work illegally because they can make more money by working in the city. Therefore, ID cards may be checked at stations.
And the only way to overcome this is to go to college. Even if you are from a rural area, you can continue to work in that area if you graduate from a university in Beijing or Shanghai, for example. In addition, since “Hukou” is registered at the place of birth, some people, even if they are from the countryside, try to give birth to a child at a hospital in Beijing or Shanghai. That way, the child can have an urban “Hukou”.
When it comes to marrying, men who have a “hukou” in Beijing are more popular. After all, there seems to be an image that men who can work in the city are likely to have more income and enjoy living in the city.
People will judge you with something you can’t change
Even when marrying in Japan, it is said that income is the most important factor when a woman chooses a man. However, while income is important in China, it is also interesting that “Hukou” is important at the same time. In the case of income, if you do your best, you may be able to do something about it, but only “Hukou” will not do anything. I think it’s pretty scary that even something that doesn’t do anything is evaluated for its value.
As with the one-child policy, there may be exceptions to the “Hukou” system. I couldn’t investigate it in such detail, so please forgive me if there is anything I haven’t described.
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