Couples counselling booms in China as 8.6 million divorces outstrip marriage registrations in 2020
- Marriages suffer family interference, extreme competitiveness in career and society, expensive housing and lack of support for women
- Unlike their elders, some young people view divorce as a move towards emancipation and the freedom to choose one’s future
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‘Chinese men usually blame wives for marital crisis’: marriage counsellor in China goes viral
From a small office in Shanghai, marriage counsellor Zhu Shenyong live-streams advice over several phones simultaneously to an attentive audience keen to save their relationships.
On his wall hangs the mantra: “Let there be no bad marriages under heaven.” But in the earthly realities of modern China, divorce rates are surging and Zhu’s services are in high demand.
“I always say that Chinese marriage counselling is mostly like treating late-stage cancer,” said Zhu, explaining that most of his clients arrive in “absolute crisis”.
“Only a minority are considering divorce, but want advice on whether it’s the right thing to do,” said the indefatigable 44-year-old, who wears a flat cap during his streaming sessions.
Earlier this year, Zhu went viral after claiming that he makes one million yuan (US$154,000) a year.