- A woman’s monologue video about the pressure she feels from her job, money, her parents and being single goes viral in China
- She said the stress they caused had started turning her hair grey, and she dreaded the arrival of another lonely Valentine’s Day
A viral video of a devastated 28-year-old woman in China describing the pain of never having a boyfriend has started a debate on mainland social media about the pressures young people face in modern-day China.
The unnamed Shanghai woman was in tears in the video posted on February 12 as she spoke to her sister-in-law about the heavy pressures she feels from her job, money, her parents’ expectations and being permanently single.
She said the many challenges she faced and the stress they caused had started turning her hair grey, Star Video reported.
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“I have never held a man’s hand,” she said in the video.
She explained that she is already 28 years old and has tried many things, even turning to blind dates to find her first boyfriend, but she hasn’t found love yet.
The woman also said that she was made to feel even more anxious because she felt she had to go on blind dates to satisfy her parents’ expectations.
“I can’t disappoint my parents, so I brave it out for the blind dates,” she continued.
However, it strained her limited finances as she would spend a few hundred yuan (tens of US dollars) on dining out for each date. She said she was reluctant to spend her limited money on blind dates because she had to live within her means.
“I even begrudge spending on buying shoes for myself,” she said.
After venting her frustration about spending on blind dates, she described her feelings about her 28th single Valentine’s Day this year.
“Can I get married to a man I like in my life?”
The video has trended widely online in China. Some people felt sympathy and related to the woman’s situation.
One person said: “I’m two years older than her, so I can deeply relate to her anxiety.”
Another said: “I have a similar struggle to hers … my parents often put pressure on me.”
But some said her life was being affected by her negative attitude.
“Why do you want to rush to find a man? To shine herself would help her live a wonderful life!” One person said.
“Please do not get married for the sake of it. Otherwise, you will cry even louder,” another advised.
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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.
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