Living together without marriage is common?

Living together without marriage is common?
Jun 21, 2008 04:11
guesttrip	While I was traveling on a train in China several days ago, I met a young American couple who seem to be in their middle thirties. I talked with them on the way. I asked how long they had been married. To my surprise, they replied that they were not married: wheras they had been living together for more than three years. I was curious and furthered my question by asking if they were planning to get married, but said they hadn't decided whether or not to get married. Is that common in the USA and other western countries? In Chinese culture, marriage is a very serious question. If two people don't have the intention to marry, they won't live together? Living together without marriage is thought to be immoral.

Jun 21, 2008 04:11

guesttrip

While I was traveling on a train in China several days ago, I met a young American couple who seem to be in their middle thirties. I talked with them on the way. I asked how long they had been married. To my surprise, they replied that they were not married: wheras they had been living together for more than three years. I was curious and furthered my question by asking if they were planning to get married, but said they hadn't decided whether or not to get married. Is that common in the USA and other western countries? In Chinese culture, marriage is a very serious question. If two people don't have the intention to marry, they won't live together? Living together without marriage is thought to be immoral.

Jun 21, 2008 06:52	#1
LIONPOWER Points: Join Date: Dec 11, 2006 Status: Offline	Immoral ? Many many new age Chinese people living together with out marry.

Jun 21, 2008 12:20

CHYNAGYRL
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Join Date: Aug 16, 2006
Status: Offline

hmm. it's very common. I have friends who co-habited for 7, 8 years, then got married, had kids, everything worked out... I used to think it was a good idea because people should see if their living habits are compatible. But, now the main argument against it is that the divorce rate for couples who co-habited before marriage is double that of those who didn't. I guess it's up to individuals to decide if it's right according to their values.

Jun 22, 2008 21:43

LEONARDO
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Join Date: May 21, 2007
Status: Offline

Quote
>>In Chinese culture, marriage is a very serious question. If two people don't have the intention to marry, they won't live together? Living together without marriage is thought to be immoral.<<

GUESTTRIP,

What you said is not the real picture of today's China. Cohabitation before marriage is quite common. Young people prefered that living styles. Cohabitation is popular among China's university students. Some of them get hurt in the cohabiting relationship. Some of them end up with happiness.

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