New Perspectives on Postponing Marriage in Urban China: Empirical Evidence from Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen

Faced with a low marriage rate and a rising first marriage age, postponing marriage keeps drawing attention. Various factors have been considered; however, previous studies did not answer the question of whether people postpone marriage to gain more or lose less in terms of emotional, financial, and social involvement in the future marriage. In this study, by comparing women’s and men’s expectations and concerns regarding future mates and marriage, findings suggest that influenced by Confucian patriarchy, women and men value marriage, and within this context, marital negotiations happen. Moreover, gender stereotypes intertwined with Confucian marital values expose women to marital risks, such as job discrimination, infidelity dilemma, and pretend marriage. These risks endanger women’s careers, wellbeing, and self-fulfillment. On the other hand, men feel exploited to prepare for marital settings, such as housing, vehicles, and living expense, even though female interviewees want to share the financial burden with future partners contrary to male interviewees’ assumption. This demonstrates that two genders struggle with different marital risks and lack mutual understanding, which complicate marital negotiation and contribute to postponing marriage as a result.