A report on Chinese young people's attitude to marriage shows that 82 percent of singles lack the courage to start a relationship and 76 percent of young people of marriageable age are afraid of getting married.

The survey, jointly conducted by the Office of Social Sciences and Humanities, Sun Yat-sen University, Chinese search engine Baidu, and Jinliufu Wine Co.,Ltd, collected data via more than 30,000 questionnaires. More than 95 percent of the returns were valid. Interviewees were mainly post-80s and post-90s generations, and more than half of them were from four first-tier cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

65 percent of the interviewees said they were single, only 26 percent were married. 65 percent said they would prefer to marry after turning 30 years old, while 91 percent regard marriage as both a pressure and headache. The main reasons are pressures from work, daily life, society, and parents.

In addition, 63 percent believe material conditions, rather than a stable relationship, are a precondition for marriage. Among the 76 percent of young people who are afraid of marriage, the high cost of marriage and potential life changes after getting married are thought to be the top concerns.

The report pointed out that society should show tolerance towards those who are afraid of getting married, and encourage them to start relationships and be bolder about the prospects of marriage.

This article was edited and translated from 《调查显示：76%的适婚青年有恐婚心理》, source: Chinanews.com.