BEIJING – A recent case of a Chinese man who killed himself after his girlfriend took all his money and dumped him has struck a nerve in a country where men vastly outnumber women and face pressure to provide for their other half even before marriage.
The tragedy was the most discussed topic on Weibo, China’s most popular microblogging platform, when the death was reported in late April, attracting 120 million views and sparking 735,000 discussion threads so far. The issue is “patriarchal expectations for men and women”, added the lecturer, who studies marriages and families in both Singapore and China.
The young man, who moved to Chongqing from central Hunan province two years ago, earned a living by “training” the video game characters of other gamers. Netizens ordered deliveries of McDonald’s meals and milk tea to the bridge in Chongqing as a tribute to Mr Liu Jie. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM DOUYINYoung Chinese told ST that the skewed gender ratio in the country worsens the problem, with men facing high odds of finding a wife.According to China’s 2020 national population census, the country has 30 million more men than women.
A Chinese man is often expected to have a house and car before a woman would marry him. A suitor is also expected to provide a betrothal gift, orYoung Chinese told ST that Mr Liu Jie’s death underscored the high pressure men face in today’s China, where expenses are growing while income growth is slowing.