Citation

Wang W. J. Aichi Gakuin Univ. Humanit. Sci. 2006; 53(4): 83-98.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Aichi Gakuin University)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

Based on the data collected from the 1,000 divorce cases handled in the marriage registration centre of Hongkou District in Wuhan, the provincial city in Central China Hubei Province, this paper demonstrates that about one-third of the marriage are broken down because of "Incompatible personalities". "Extra-marital affairs" seems to be a very serious problem which stands as the second principal reason for divorce. These two reasons comprise of nearly half of the divorced couples. Domestic violence, which in the past was treated as a private problem, now appears to be reasonable for a divorce. 10 percent of couples end their marriage for their own emotional fulfillment. The change in the function of marriage and family makes 8 percent of couples to look for a new chance. Regarding the quality of marriage as the most important, 6 percent of couples say goodbye to their spouses. Except these six principal reasons there are many other reasons that are grouped as a variable "other reasons" for the purpose of this study, such as the gaps in income, social status and basic education, migration, long-term separation, and so on. Although different sociologists have given different explanation for the high divorce rate in contemporary China, they seem to agree with each other in this point, that is, the divorce rate is directly related to the changed nature of society owing to development. Some explanations of this point are discussed in this paper.