Marriage Market in China for Unmarried Women over 25 called Sheng Nu
Today on VNA we are taking a coffee break to talk about something that we all can connect too, be it Chinese or Indian women. We’re talking about ourselves, as women, and we’ll be discussing this viral yet stunning video I’ve watched recently, by SK-II (A prestige skincare brand) It discusses how in the chinese society, women over the age of 25 are treated and termed as left-overs , with the term “Sheng Nu” being used to describe them.
”We’re single, but not ’leftovers’”
For those of you that didn’t take mandarin as your major, sheng nu translates to “leftover woman” . Now the reason i’m talking about it today is because , well, it’s more than just about the women in china, it’s about anyone that can relate to this phenomenon of out casting older women (Over 25 as older is rather silly isn’t it ladies?) as undesirable. Don’t even get me started on the pressure about marriage Indian women face when they turn 25. So it shows that our neighbors are no different from us. And here we thought only our family is a weirdo!
#Changedestiny by SK-II
International Prestige Skincare Brand SK-ll has launched the #changedestiny campaign to inspire women worldwide. SK-II has shared stories of women who overcame challenges to achieve their dreams and get successful. The inspiring stories of these Chinese women are a source of inspiration for every woman. The video talks about ”Marriage Market” in China. The term Sheng Nu has been used to denounce women who, regardless of the reason, want to wait for marriage, women who simply want to marry for love.
Marriage Market in Shanghai
Going into details over the situation over in china, here’s an interesting event that takes place in Shanghai , the “Marriage market ” , which is basically a get-together for parents of the unmarried youth in the city park every sunday to exchange information on their kids , and hopefully get them hitched to someone “suitable” . Does this sound familiar? That’s because it’s basically a non-virtual version of shaadi.com , india’s biggest matrimonial website. Its almost the same as finding rishtas for you whenever you go to an Indian wedding or party. It’s the absolute same thing as this, wherein your marriage resume is up for prospects to sift through. I personally find this idea appalling and demeaning, and let’s just say that these women in china are not happy about it either.
However, they did one hell of a job showing everyone their message. Check out this SK-II video to know how groundbreaking and brave what they did was. It honestly moved me to tears. Here’s the thing ladies, i don’t get why society is so quick to bring us all down. We are strong, independent women looking to make our mark. We’re not leftovers, we are a fine wine that’ll mature over time. We aren’t spinsters or “always the bridesmaid never the bride” . We are literal wonder women making our mark with our personas, our wit, our determination, confidence and our perseverance to be a better influence than we had growing up!
I know for myself i’m setting up my own business, working freelance, doing medical school to graduate as a doctor, taking makeup artistry courses all the while living life as fully as i can and experiencing all it has to offer. This may not be the right time to settle down for me, i have a whole list of things to do, and well, there’s a lot on my plate. I have hunger for so much in life, that i don’t value myself simply by the man i can snatch! I am Enough. That is what we need to say to ourselves ladies, that we are enough, and when love will come, it will come. In the meanwhile, it’s still a worthwhile journey. Something that struck me from the video was this:
“I’m confident. I’m independent. I love life. I’m a pretty outstanding woman and i won’t let societal pressure dictate my life”
Leave us your thoughts below and let’s open up a dialogue, let’s discuss , let’s empower, let’s engage.
