ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the traditional practice of marriage in China is emblematic of the centuries-old Confucian culture that was highly patriarchal in nature. This was mainly because traditional marriage and its segregated role arrangement rendered women the more disadvantaged ones, and if given the option, it was believed that women would opt out of this 'unfair' arrangement. The chapter argues that many Chinese women are 'family-centred' by nature, with or without external constraints on their career development. However the Chinese professional women still viewed marriage as an indispensable life event and still embraced traditional views that their husbands should be the main breadwinners, while they themselves could slow down in their work and take on traditional household roles. The chapter describes how most of the Chinese professional women had fairly traditional views about marriage and considered marriage to be their ultimate goal, whether or not they were in serious relationships.
