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China has an estimated 240 million people of marriageable age who are still single. For man, not tying the knot is a conscious decision.
It's a life choice that represents a dramatic departure from their parents' generation, for whom deliberately "going solo" was never an option.
Salsa has a reputation as a catalyst for love, which makes it a popular way for young people to meet. However, the founder of Shanghai's Hot Salsa Club, 40-year-old Lily, has yet to find love for herself. She did have a boyfriend, but when she realized she'd have to choose between him and her work, the dance club won.
Without a partner, Lily finds she can dance more freely. /CGTN Photo
The faster pace of life is creating more opportunities for city dwellers to meet other people. But it's also causing them to question the merits of conformity.
Exposure to various lifestyle choices is encouraging them to see marriage as an option rather than a necessity.
In particular, women are realizing that their value is no longer dependent solely on their role in a family. The priority for Liang Yi, a post-doctoral researcher, is furthering her career in Beijing.
Liang Yi thinks her job in academia is more important than getting married at this stage of her life. /CGTN Photo
A good education, although it empowers young women to re-assess the concept of self, does not provide a complete escape from social pressure. As for men, the pressures involved in going solo can be somewhat different.
Luke Wang is a senior consultant at an international consulting firm. He hails from a town 2,000 kilometers away from Beijing, the city where he works. Over a decade ago, as a young graduate, he realized he would never want to start a family.
Luke has decided not to have children of his own, although he is happy to spend time with his nephew. /CGTN Photo
Respect and tolerance for personal choice are a product of the transformation China is going through, in which tradition is mixing with modernity.
Nowadays, more and more people, armed with self-confidence to reject tradition and stand up to pressure, prefer choosing a life that suits them.
Rediscovering China is a 30-minute feature program offering in-depth reports on major issues facing China today. It airs on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. BJT (02:30 GMT), with a rebroadcast at 11:30 p.m. (15:30 GMT), as well as on Monday at 8:30 a.m. (00:30 GMT) and Friday at 1:30 p.m. (05:30 GMT).