This project is about women in China who have still not married at 27 years of age and are referred to as Sheng Nu (leftover women). Started in June 2019, this project reflects a social issue that every woman in China has to face in life. Many of them feel under huge pressure from society because of being single. Although women have gained more opportunities and rights in education and careers, they often lose their chance of being a woman in a relationship.
Wang Jiaying, 1984
In 2006, “Sheng Nu” (leftover women) became one of the 171 new words in Chinese, which refers to women who have passed the age of marriage generally considered by the society but are still unmarried.
Wang Heli, 1983
Yu Yan, 1984
Zhang Yuwei, 1982
Li Zhao, 1990
The one-child policy enforced in the late 1970s created an extreme gender imbalance in China. Many would-be daughters were aborted. 20 years later, it leads to men reaching the marriageable age but unable to find a wife. The government then began to promote a culture of shame to pressure unmarried women into getting married early to compensate for the gender ratio imbalance.
‘the family planning policy brings more benefits’, propaganda in 1980s
Xu Tian, 1982
Wang Chen, 1983
Kong Lingchen, 1992
Li Siyi, 1989
