Research on the Chinese Marriage Crisis - A Matching Perspective

This article examines the significant influence of parental attitudes on the mating choices of young adults in China. It highlights the stark dominance of Chinese parents in decision-making processes about their children's romantic lives, which can significantly influence the nation's marriage and divorce trends. Past articles revealed changes in parental attitudes towards their children's romantic relationships during university years, highlighting a shift from traditional opposition to increased support, potentially impacting financial assistance. Another stream of research focused on the ongoing marriage crisis in China, where declining marriage rates and rising divorce rates are influenced by socioeconomic changes, urbanization, and evolving marital values. They suggest that economic and cultural shifts play significant roles. This paper integrates sociocultural dynamics with a model of deferred acceptance in matchmaking to explore how shifts toward more progressive parental attitudes could be exacerbating the marriage crisis in China. By applying a matching algorithm, the study reveals that mismatches in parental expectations across different societal segments could lead to higher divorce rates and lower marriage rates. The paper proposes educational reforms and matchmaking optimizations as potential solutions to mitigate these effects.