The Chinese New Year holiday is traditionally the time of the year when everyone who is living away from home returns for a family reunion. But for many single young people, the holiday is not something they’re looking forward to with the same excitement they did as children. Instead, the time spent with family causes trepidation. They fear the awkward questions they’re likely to face, from parents anxious to know when they intend to settle down and marry – and importantly, produce that first, eagerly-anticipated grandchild.  

Parents’ anxieties grow stronger as a child enters their mid-to-late 20s, sometimes to the extent that they become actively involved in the search for his or her life partner. This can give rise to tensions, with the child resenting the unwanted interference in what is, after all, a private matter, and with the parents angered by what they perceive as a lack of concern for their interests. 

This situation mainly affects young people who have left home for the big city, like Beijing or Shanghai, in search of a good job. Finding a life partner is not the priority their parents would like it to be. Committed to advancing their career, they may not have the time to go out on dates, and even if they do, they’re likely to be very cautious in choosing someone to share their new-found wealth and success with. Some attend speed-dating events, but the results are often hit-and-miss. If they don’t happen to find anyone suitable, they’re prepared to continue leading a single life. 

Approximately, 58 million Chinese people of mature age choose to live away from home.  Most of them are living in big cities, and whether they have made this decision based on their preference or due to the result of the circumstances, this generation is a sign of how they have an expectation for something better in every aspect of their lives.