Students cause debate by seeking rich wives

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, March 07, 2004

Students cause debate by seeking rich wives

Want to live a well-off life at an early age? Seeking wealthy spouses has often been a shortcut chosen by women, but now some college boys in east China's Nanjing city have joined the pursuit.

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Want to live a well-off life at an early age? Seeking wealthy spouses has often been a shortcut chosen by women, but now some college boys in east China's Nanjing city have joined the pursuit.

Xiao Wu, a college senior in the city, registered last month at a local matrimonial agency to seek a wife. His first requirement read "must have over 100 million yuan (US$12.05 million) in assets".

"I often find those graduates work hard till late at night," said Xiao. "It's too hard and wearying for me. I just want to find a shortcut for my life through marriage."

A junior in another university whose surname was Huang also made marrying a "kuan jie" (rich woman) his goal.

"I don't care about her educational background or marriage record," he said. "I only hope she is under 35 years old and has good economic strength."

Like Xiao, Huang also regarded marriage as a shortcut for career success. "With a sound economic basis, I can start a good career ten or even 20 years earlier. I can create bigger life value," he said.

According to Miss Ruan, manager of a matrimonial agency, six other college boys have come to the agency to seek wealthy girls in the past four months.

About a dozen women have responded, she said, but there has not been a successful match so far.

Those boys' viewpoint on marriage has aroused wide social debate. Some have claimed as seeking spouses is something personal, there should be no problem no matter what conditions are attached.

"It will 'get twice the result with half the effort'," said a man who refused to be named.

But critical voices have called this kind of match unfeasible and even unhealthy.

Zhang Weining, who has been working in a local matrimonial agency for many years, said it was difficult for a young boy and a wealthy woman who is several years older than him to have deep affection as they had quite different life experiences.

"Only love-based marriage can bring happiness to the couple," he said. "Such kind of marriage is only a trade of money and youth. "

The 32-year-old Zhang Xiaoyu, who runs a business by herself, said she would never accept a money-driven man as her husband. "We expect true love more than the average people just because we already have fortune."

"How can such boys expect to find favor in wealthy ladies' eyes just by using the word 'love'?" she said.

These boys' marriage choice reflects today's diversified social values, said Jiang Enming from Nanjing University's school of news communications,

"But the society should help youngsters forge positive and healthy life values. It deserves our consideration," he said.

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