Are Young Chinese Falling Out of Love With Love?

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In the wake of China’s Internet Valentine’s Day, young Chinese continue to question whether marriage is right for them. On May 20 each year, people across China celebrate the country’s Internet Valentine’s Day. The day, which has origins in internet slang due to 5/20 sounding similar to, and becoming shorthand for, “I love you,” is also typically a peak time for marriages, with registry offices working overtime, even on weekends. However, last year’s “520” saw a significant drop in the number of registrations compared with previous years, igniting heated discussions about the current state of matrimony. And it’s not just marriage that’s seemingly lost its charm; Chinese social media is teeming with pessimistic views on love in general, with one popular group on social platform Douban with close to 400,000 members adopting the slogan “Breaking up is better than making up.” In such groups, young people lament how the cost of marriage or stable relationships is t ………………………………