Chinese man with low salary seeks high-earning wife to uphold marriage values, sparks heated debate
A Chinese man attracted a significant amount of criticism on social media after he posted a set of stringent requirements for his future wife on a dating banner at a public park in China.
The 34 year old Shenzhen resident’s demands sparked a heated debate about his matchmaking behaviour and gender equality.
The controversial banner outlined the Chinese man’s search for a well-mannered, virtuous woman who is proficient in housekeeping, earns at least 12,000 yuan (approximately US$1,860) per month, and owns a car and a home without any bank loans. He claimed to earn a monthly salary of 6,000 yuan (approximately US$930), and described himself as trustworthy with valuable “stock,” without any habits of smoking or drinking. He also promised to be a good son-in-law, fulfilling his duties to care for his future wife’s parents.
The Chinese man also shared a video on his Douyin account on May 8, which quickly went viral and angered middle-aged women who took issue with his unreasonable demands. One netizen said…
“Women who meet your criteria would want a husband who earns more than 20,000 yuan, has a car, and a house.”
He replied…
“Why would I have to look for a wife if I had all of that? I wouldn’t see any need to get married at all.”
The man’s comments suggested that his true intentions may have been different from finding a genuine life partner. News reports indicate that he had travelled to various matchmaking events across the country and went on multiple blind dates over the past few years, attempting to find a wife who appeared to be on his level.
His video ignited gender confrontations, stirred discussions about marriage values and earned him millions of followers on Douyin.
The Chinese man later revealed in an interview with the startup-focused website Chuangkebang that he had lied about his personal status. In reality, he is a seasoned sales manager in Guiyang, earning a monthly salary of up to 30,000 yuan (approximately US$4,650), with earnings from his Douyin videos surpassing his salary.
He explained that he would never actually demand a future wife to meet the conditions he posed in his video, as it was intended to make “women think about how they take men for granted.”
