Remaining single a trend

An online poll by the Ministry of Civil Affairs has found that remaining single has become a trend in China, with fears of high divorce rate, loss of personal freedom, family responsibilities and housing costs being the four major reasons that shun young people from getting married, Chongqing Morning Postreported.

Among 50,384 people who participated in the survey, less than 20 percent chose "fortune, status and housing" as sources of happiness, for which the majority picked "family, health and marriage."

However, the report found that most women focus on the financial resources in a marriage as 92 percent of female polltakers said "stable income" was the prerequisite for marriage, while almost 70 percent said they would only enter marriages on condition that "the man has a house" – better if her name is on property title, too.

The annual report has concluded that housing and financial assets have long been factors that influence Chinese people's marriage. But it went on to point out that it is "following one's own heart" that will bring happiness whereas everything else is eventually "chasing after wind."

According to poll results, nearly 70 percent of those who married without having a house, a car or even a wedding ceremony have noted that they "live in great happiness."