Beijing: China is witnessing a profound shift in attitudes towards marriage as fewer young people choose to marry amid rising financial pressures, changing gender expectations and growing acceptance of independent lives.
A recent Al Jazeera 101 East documentary, China’s Marriage Crisis: The Search for Love, explores how traditional matchmaking customs are being revived and reshaped as the country faces record-low marriage registrations, declining birth rates and an ageing population.
Marriage is becoming harder to navigate
China recorded about six million marriages in 2024, less than half the number recorded a decade earlier, according to ThePrint. The report points to several factors behind the decline, including housing costs, expectations surrounding home ownership and the financial demands associated with marriage.
In some rural areas, bride prices have become a major concern, with payments reportedly reaching as high as $50,000 in some cases. Research published in 2026 has also identified bride-price negotiations as an important source of strain in marriage formation, particularly among rural-to-urban migrants.
Housing costs are another factor. A 2026 study found that rising house prices are associated with delays in first marriage among urban residents.
Matchmaking gets a modern makeover
As conventional routes to marriage become more difficult, traditional matchmaking has returned in new forms. In Henan, a matchmaker known as “Granny Wang” has attracted thousands to matchmaking events and millions of followers online. Some young people are also documenting their search for partners through social media and detailed dating records.
The gender imbalance adds another layer to the crisis. China has substantially more men than women, while research also points to changing education patterns and differences in expectations between potential partners as contributing factors.
For some Chinese women, however, remaining unmarried is increasingly viewed as a personal choice rather than a failure to find a partner. The changing attitudes reflect a broader transformation in how younger generations view marriage, financial security and personal fulfilment.