Wedded miss: China mother pressures son into marriage with suicide threat, couple divorce after 6 months

It was coined by therapists at the Seventh People’s Hospital in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province in the east of the country.

In the “suicide threat” case, a man, nicknamed Xiaojin, from Wenzhou married due to pressure from his mother as he approached his 30s.

Despite lacking an emotional connection with his wife-to-be and being reluctant to discuss marriage, Xiaojin was coerced into tying the knot after his mother threatened to kill herself.

Not only did the mismatched couple fail to communicate properly, they also argued over who was responsible for domestic chores, to such an extent that both refused to have sex.

The “vowels couples” phenomenon and the increasing trend of forced marriages point to a broader societal issue in China.

While the number of marriages in the country has significantly decreased, from approximately 13.5 million couples in 2013 to 6.8 million in 2022, many Chinese parents, driven by traditional views and societal expectations, pressure young people into marriage for fear of losing face or concern about their child’s future.

However, this approach often worsens the situation.

One online observer said: “This is typical Chinese-style marriage pressure. Love doesn’t matter, just get married, happiness doesn’t matter, just get married.”

“It’s the mother who should see a therapist, but she’ll probably blame the son’s wife and keep pressuring him to remarry,” said another.

A third shared their approach to dealing with the situation: “My mum once cried, saying she didn’t want to live if I didn’t get married.

“I responded, ‘Let’s die together then, as I don’t want to live either.’ After that, she stopped the drama, and there were no more discussions.”

“Many parents force their children to marry just to fulfil their own desires, never considering their children’s feelings or happiness. They say it’s for their children, but it’s actually selfishness,” said a fourth.