1. China's divorce rates have skyrocketed in recent decades, with a peak of 4.71 million couples in 2019 before declining to 2.1 million by 2022.
2. Post-1980s generations in China view marriage as about love and personal choice, leading to the phenomenon of "naked marriages" and "flash divorces."
3. Divorce is now celebrated by some post-1980s generations in China, with divorce ceremonies and social media posts praising divorce certificates as "certificates of happiness."
The article "Divorce as a ‘certificate of happiness’ in modern China" by Pan Wang discusses the increasing divorce rates in China and the reasons behind it. The author provides a historical context of divorce laws in China, from imperial times to the present day, and highlights how divorce has become more accessible and acceptable in modern times.
The article presents various factors that have contributed to the rise in divorce rates, such as changing attitudes towards marriage, rising educational and economic statuses of women, softened masculinity among men, and parental interference in their children's private lives. The author also notes the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on divorce rates.
While the article provides a comprehensive overview of the reasons for rising divorce rates in China, it is not without its biases. For example, the author seems to suggest that divorce is primarily driven by women seeking to protect their rights and interests. While this may be true to some extent, it overlooks the fact that men also file for divorce when their expectations of gender roles in marriage do not match those of their wives.
Additionally, while the article acknowledges that divorce can be a torment for many families, it focuses more on how divorce is celebrated by post-1980s generations as a "certificate of happiness." This promotional content may give readers an incomplete picture of the emotional toll that divorce can take on individuals and families.
Furthermore, while the article notes that rising cohabitation, premarital sex, prostitution, and marital infidelity have contributed to broken relationships and divorces in China, it does not explore counterarguments or evidence for these claims. This one-sided reporting may lead readers to accept these claims without critical examination.
Overall, while "Divorce as a ‘certificate of happiness’ in modern China" provides valuable insights into the reasons behind rising divorce rates in China, readers should approach it with caution and critically examine its biases and unsupported claims.