A Beijing woman has made public about her experience of about 100 dates in a year, rekindling the ongoing debate about the heavy pressure that Chinese women face to get married as soon as possible.
SCMP reported that the 32-year-old woman - nicknamed Baozhuzi online - started dating at the end of 2021 after a period of grief after losing both work and breaking up with her lover.
Before losing his job, Baozhuzi worked at a technology company in Beijing with a high-paying job. Baozhuzi and her ex-boyfriend have been in love for 8 years and have considered getting married.
Then in 2021, Baozhuzi's boyfriend suddenly ended their relationship. Two weeks later, she lost her job.
In the following year, Baozhuzi dated more than 100 men. She dated a financial worker, a musician, and people from different cultures. Sometimes Baozhuzi date three times in a day.
Baozhuzi was interviewed by NetEase News about his experiences in a widely circulated documentary in China on December 26.
Baozhuzi admits that she tried to overcome her old problems after breaking up with her boyfriend, and is looking for someone to share her desire to have a child with her.
I dont feel pressured to get married before a certain age, but I want to have a child before Im 35, Baozhuzi said.
Health experts agree that pregnancy after 35 is at higher risk and that women in China are advised the ideal pregnancy age of 25 to 29.
China has seen both marriage and birth rates fall in recent years. The marriage rate has decreased sharply from 0.77% in 2017 to 0.54% annually in 2021 - according to the 2021 Civil Affairs Statistics bulletin. The number of newborns born annually fell to a historical low of 10.6 million in 2021.
The pressure to get married for women also comes from Chinese culture, where traditional values still exist deeply in all classes of society. Traditional values link men's success with career and wealth, but for women, it is still associated with marriage and children.
When asked about her feelings about single women over 30, Baozhuzi said that other women should not limit their options because of age and should pursue their goals regardless of age.
The problem is dont live a life that you will regret in the future, she said.
After a year of dating, Baozhuzi had a new boyfriend she met in November. Looking back on her experience, she said she had learned to accept failure.
You can work hard to achieve success in everything, except love. You can't expect to be rewarded in love" - she said.
Public opinion on the internet is controversial about Baozhuzi's dating experience, many people think that a woman's life should not be decided by marriage, while others say Baozhuzi is brave because he is honest about his desire to get married and have children.
work is more important than marriage. Women should be financially independent first" - a Weibo user commented.
I think this woman is really great. She is clear about what she wants and works hard to achieve that instead of waiting for her boyfriend to come to her. Whether you get married or not is a personal choice that cannot be judged" - another person commented.
