Is a Good Husband Worth More Than a Good Job?

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, August 26, 2003

Is a Good Husband Worth More Than a Good Job?

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At the arrangement of her mother, Ms. Zhu, a third-year student with the philosophy department of Beijing Normal University, dated four different men during the summer holiday alone in hopes of finding her Mr. Right.

"It is not easy to find a good job these days," said Ms. Zhu, "so maybe it is better to find an established man to marry as soon as possible."

However, Xiao Wei, a 35 year-old lady from Beijing, thinks differently. Xiao, who worked in an overseas-financed company for 10 years, has been a full-time housewife for the past three years.

"In the beginning, I felt very pleased to be at home rearing my child without going to work, but as time goes by, I feel my everyday life is a bit empty," said Xiao. "Women should have their own careers."

Zhu and Xiao are not alone in questioning whether good husbands are worth more than good jobs, a question brought again to the forefront with the discussion of women's issues at the just-closed Chinese Women's Ninth National Congress.

A sample survey of women's positions in society, carried out among 19,000 people by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) and the National Bureau of Statistical in 2001, suggested that 34.1 percent of the respondents supported the opinion that "good husbands are better than good jobs".

A man surnamed Wang, an office worker with the ACWF, said that viewpoint also reflects men's point of view and is supported by most men.

"But all my female colleagues don't agree. They are enterprising and independent, hoping to seek a balance between career and family life," said Wang.

Wang Qi, general manager of Qiyang Cultural Advertising Co., Ltd from southwest China's Sichuan Province, suggested a third viewpoint, that good jobs and good husbands are of equal importance to women. The general manager was in Beijing attending the women's national congress.

"Since the situation is grim for women to find employment currently, some girls may resort to marrying themselves off first. But if women want to have equal rights with their husbands instead of being dependent, they must have their own careers," said the 32-year-old general manager.

Wang Shuxian, formerly ACWF deputy chairwoman, admitted that because of physiological factors and the traditional division of labor, women face greater pressure and challenges than men in finding employment. Therefore, she said, it's unfair to women to do the same jobs as men but not get the same pay.

"It will cause a huge waste of human resources to the state and the society if women forsake jobs and choose to marry themselves off in hope of finding a good future just because of these factors," said Wang Shuxian.

The former women's affairs official believed the mere fact that the opinion "good husbands are better than good jobs" has been discussed extensively in the society in the past years, actually shows progress in Chinese society.

Before the founding of New China in 1949, there was absolutely no such question and women barely had the chance to go out to work and were fully dependent on family life, said Wang Shuxian.

"In the past more than 50 years, especially after 1978 when China began its reform and opening-up drive, the number of well-educated women has kept increasing. Women have more options in life apart from household chores, and household incomes are increasing rapidly," Wang added.

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