As a wedding photographer, Tan Mengmeng's livelihood depends heavily on people getting married, capturing the joy and happiness of a couple's love.
The country saw a slight bump last year, up towards 8 million, but authorities remain concerned about the trend. The two shifts have contributed to a deepening demographic crisis facing the world's second-biggest economy, exacerbated by a slowing economy, a rapidly aging population and the fact that fewer women are having children after the decades-long one-child policy.
Photos shared on Chinese social media Xiaohongshu show some couples signing their divorce papers, while others pose with their divorce certificate. "The idea of staying in an unhappy marriage 'for the sake of appearances' or out of obligation is losing its grip," she said. When the woman got the photos back, she noticed there weren't many featuring her ex-husband. "I didn't dare tell her that it was the man who asked me to try not to take photos of his face," Tan said.