In Chinese traditional culture, getting married for parenthood is the necessary for matured people, but today, it's only one choice for many Chinese young men and women.

Wu Yulan, a resident in southwestern Chengdu City, is often worried about her 27-year-old daughter's marriage. Her daughter Lin Fang, having been in love with her boyfriend for over three years, refuses to get married.

"Registered marriage means nothing, unless the couple wants a child. If the two have true love, they don't need a marriage certificate to maintain their relations, so don't be anxious about me," Lin told her mother.

In a transitional Chinese society, the new generation of youth have their views on marriage and ways of life, which bear characteristics of openness, freedom and tolerance, and the public is accepting these ideas, said Professor Hu Guangwei with the Sichuan Provincial Academy of Social Sciences.

Both true love and money are essential for marriage, Lin Fang and many of her friends and colleagues thought this way. "We have to face the reality, since without houses or cars, the couple will soon or later fall into quarrels even if they have true love between them," Lin said.

So many young people would rather choose to be single and wait for a "perfect marriage" than get married hastily, which has led to the sharp increase in number of urban single ladies in their thirties with high academic degrees and well-paid jobs.

The delayed marriage or even celibacy has become quite common in today's China, said Hu.

With the growing number of divorce cases in Chinese society, the pre-marriage property notarization has been chosen by many young couples, while most elderly Chinese still find it difficult to accept.

The society should respect those personal choices, as long as they do not bring harm to the public, said Professor Wang Jianjun with the Sichuan University.

(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2004)