Happy Endings in China Not Just for Men

Happy Endings in China Not Just for Men
Apr 12, 2017 By Jessica A. Larson-Wang , eChinacities.com

One comment on my article about intercultural relationships asked the rather loaded question “why don’t you see more foreign women married to Chinese men?” This is a question that gets asked a lot, and there really is no simple answer. It is obvious to anyone living in China that the number of foreign men with Chinese wives or girlfriends drastically outweighs the number of foreign women married to or dating Chinese men. This discrepancy is so large that websites and forums devoted to the discussion of intercultural relationships in China almost always assume that the foreigner in the relationship will be a man, and the very idea of a foreign woman being involved with a Chinese man is sometimes met with ridicule, as if it were impossible.

However, marriages and relationships like my own are on the rise. When I first arrived here nearly seven years ago, I did not personally know of any foreign women who were dating or married to locals, whereas now I know many. Even in the media, it is becoming more and more common to see a Western woman paired with a Chinese man, so obviously relationships like mine aren’t as rare as they once were. Partly this is due to changing expat demographics: foreign females in China are no longer rare. Male expats still outnumber females, however, which means that there are simply more men out there on the market.

Long-standing was the myth that foreign females simply wouldn’t date Chinese men. This was a myth with some basis in reality, as the physical differences between Chinese and Westerners are more marked and sometimes deal-breaking between Chinese males and Western females. It can be hard to date guys who weigh less than you or who only come up to your chin

Still, there are Chinese guys who would like to date Western women, and there are Western women who are willing to date them. But why are these relationships still so rare? And what can a Western woman who might be willing to date a Chinese man do about it? For starters, acknowledge the cultural realities before stepping into the dating pool.

First, Chinese people generally do not date casually. Dating is seen as a means to an end, the end being marriage. And although you’re certain to find guys and girls who do not fit that mold, and who are looking for a bit of “fun,” do not be surprised if your fun relationship is not granted a lot of respect by your partner or the rest of China.

In addition, Western women in China probably all realize that they’re fighting against the stereotype of the loose woman – the buxom blonde who gets drunk and will go home with anyone. As Western women, whether we like it or not, casually dating and sleeping with local guys only reinforces a stereotype that is not particularly flattering. Which isn’t to say that we should conform to local standards, or that the view of a woman who enjoys dating, hanging out, and maybe even sex with guys who are not her long term partner is the correct one, but simply that we shouldn’t be altogether surprised if one night stands with Chinese guys don’t turn into long term relationships.

Another obstacle to dating local men in China also has to do with traditional ideas about who should wear the proverbial pants in the relationship. As expats, whether we are male or female, we by default usually have higher salaries than all but the wealthiest of locals, and often have higher levels of education. Most Chinese men are extremely uncomfortable with the idea of dating a woman who has more education or who makes more money than him. This attitude isn’t just sexism on the part of Chinese men, but something that has been reinforced by Chinese society as a whole. Many Chinese women look to a man’s financial assets first and foremost. Even during the initial dating phase, they expect a man to shower her with gifts. My husband told me once about his ex-girlfriend who, when he was making a pitiful 1300 RMB a month, pounced on him every payday and demanded he take her out shopping.

It is not uncommon to hear Chinese men say that they can’t afford a girlfriend, or that they can’t get married until they can purchase a house for their future wife. So while it might seem like landing a “rich” foreign girl would be the solution to all their problems, in fact the opposite is true. When my first boyfriend in China and I were living together, I remarked casually to another foreign friend of mine that I was “supporting” my boyfriend while he was still in school. This sent my then-boyfriend into a fit of anger, and he didn’t speak to me for three whole days. I was absolutely clueless as to what I’d done wrong, but my ex- was so shamed by my statement that he only left me a letter telling me how I’d injured his pride, essentially emasculating him.

For most Chinese men, being able to take care of their girlfriend or wife, or, at the very least, take care of themselves, is a sign of being a man. It might cause your relationship a load of stress if you find yourself dating someone who is too far below you on the socio-economic ladder.

 

Almost all of the relationships between Chinese men and Western women that I know of which have actually worked have had one thing in common – the male half of the relationship has been rather non-conventional. Take my own husband, for instance. He's a guy from a rather nondescript village outside of Kunming, who left home after high school and, after a brief and unsatisfying stint in a factory, took off with his guitar and amp to tour Yunnan. He eventually returned to Kunming, where he sold guitars and did bar gigs for a living until we met, got married, and moved to Beijing.

Other friends’ husbands have been overseas returnees, fluent in English and used to Western ways; artists and performers who live on the fringe of society; divorced guys who were disillusioned about conventional Chinese love. For the most part a Chinese guy who decides to be with a foreigner for the long term is not going to be someone who is deeply attached to traditional ideas about marriage and gender roles, and often are men who deeply question these and other social norms.

There is no doubt that dating is hard as a Western woman in China. Choices are limited and Chinese society works against us in a way it doesn’t for our male counterparts. However, there are happy endings to be had, and I encourage any Western women who are willing to give the local dating pool a chance not to give up so easily. My marriage is a happy one, and, since we defy the odds, maybe we simply got lucky. Maybe, as my husband likes to say, it was fate that brought us together. No matter, because I firmly believe that there is no reason a Western woman can’t find the same romantic happy ending in China that Western men have been finding all along.

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Keywords: relationships in china marriages happy ending

13 Comments

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Guest626460

The truth is, in 2012 China was a poor country, so you didn't see any western women jumping on the opportunity to date them. In 2017, when this article is written, China had progressed to a middle-income country, and you'd see more western women joining the date pool. Now in 2023 there are a lot of rich Chinese men, and also a lot of western women who are chasing them. Nothing new under the Sun. It's all about the age old norm of social prostitution.

May 05, 2023 12:12 Report Abuse

hasan.mustafay

thoughts provoking article!

Jul 05, 2020 21:32 Report Abuse

tanbank34

et les enfants alors?

Apr 14, 2017 10:38 Report Abuse

JanShanghai

Kudos for making it work with your Chinese bf, and good article. But you didn't mention the white elephant in the room... and it definitely has to do stereotypes and NON elephant-like traits..

Apr 13, 2017 13:26 Report Abuse

Guest884878

There. Are. No. Happy. Endings.

Apr 12, 2017 16:21 Report Abuse

LijunWei

Don't you think you are all GENERALIZING? Plus, what exactly is "a Westerner"? An Indian, An Italian, A Frenchman, A Spaniard, a Peruvian, an American, a Greek, a Swede? I mean do Chinese people really think that "Westerner" is some kind of mega-collective identity/race/culture? Please, the variety "in the West" (again, where is this, Europe? USA? Brazil? Colombia? Canada? Southern Europe? Eastern Europe? Russia? the Caucasus? and Turkey?....I am so tired of Chinese saying that 'Westerners" are the English speaking people who all have the same culture and religion.) And I have met different kinds of people who are Chinese citizens, yet some are so superficial, rude, impolite, greedy, YET others are polite, open-minded, non-superficial, and generous. Come on, let's all hold hands and jump into the 21st century together! Let's NOT stereotype everyone around us. And remember: a "laowai" is an Indian, a Japanese, an Italian, a Romanian, a Frenchman, an American.....and guess what? They all DO NOT speak or think in English! Surprise!
I do not go around thinking anybody with an epicantic fold is Chinese. I know the difference between a Filipino and a Japanese and a Chinese, so WHY cannot Chinese appreciate the difference between these so-called "Westerners"? In other words: GROW UP and read more books.

Oct 23, 2012 23:59 Report Abuse

G

hey Western guys,

just wondering, what do you talk about with your Chinese wives/ girlfriends?

I've been in China for a long time, and even when I talk to adult "accomplished" co-workers, I'm bored. I have more meaningful conversations with my 11 year old sister. And her sense of humour is great too.


Jul 30, 2012 18:28 Report Abuse

flip

musing on this article and some of the comments here, I would like to add but a few. I'm not Chinese and neither would I dare to say I'm better than any Chinese man. Matter of factly, most foreigners in china are simply shocked(culture shock) about most thing?
I have met some americans wet themselves on a train, most brits littering chewing gums everywhere,etc yet nobody seems to complain and its clearly unnoticed.
When it comes to love and partners and so on, we all have choices; the right to be with any choice-person yet I cant say the same about Chinese where family still domineers.
However, I'm just excited to witness a paradigm shift in this era where each day christens a multicultural union. And this is positive, as everything changes, so must we embrace this changes in china too. And once a change is catalysed into action, we can leave the rest to time cos that time would certainly come when foreign ladies can admit that Chinese guys are not bad at all.
And I really cant wait for that time!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jul 29, 2012 20:53 Report Abuse

KathrynDozier

Preach!

Mar 08, 2015 12:52 Report Abuse

G

omg, Chinese guys are afraid to date a Western girl coz they are self-conscious about their body parts!

Jul 30, 2012 18:36 Report Abuse

KathrynDozier

Deano, I'm sure in many rural villages you can find plenty of uneducated Chinese men with terrible manners. Just as you can find plenty of Chinese women with terrible manners. Just as you can defend Chinese men with the "normal answers" the truth is that stereotyping an entire nation of people is not ignorant.

Mar 08, 2015 13:04 Report Abuse

KathrynDozier

It seems like many of the men on this post are very insecure and feel a need to bash an entire nation of males in order to few more secure about the size of their package and their "masculinity." I have been in a long term, very happy relationship with a Chinese journalist I met in Russia. It seems to me that he might be quite a bit more masculine and/or capable than you as he doesn't feel the need to go trolling on the internet proving himself by beating his hairy cave man chest in poor written english riddled with a enormous amount of grammar problems. "Real men" and "real women" marry whoever the hell they want.

Mar 08, 2015 12:58 Report Abuse