Students seek a higher degree of love

Survey shows they are adapting traditional ideas of marriage and children to suit modern times. Wang Xiaoyu reports.

Zeng Jiru, a graduate student studying politics and international relations at Peking University, is not sure if he'll ever marry, let alone have children.

His father got married when he was 23. "My dad believes that tying the knot is something everyone must do in their lifetime. I don't much care and would rather remain single than rush into marriage," Zeng said.

He added that his desire to start a family might grow stronger after graduation, when he becomes more distant from the professors and classmates he can call upon for support now. "Also, my girlfriend's opinion matters a lot," he said.

Zeng's perspective on marriage is emblematic of China's Generation Z, broadly defined as those born between 1995 and 2010.

According to a report released in April by the Population Development Studies Center at the Renmin University of China, marriage and childbearing have retained their appeal among college students, but their attraction lies mainly in emotional, rather than financial, benefits.