With the increased exposure to Western cultures and the transition towards modernization, Chinese society has experienced substantial social change, which has influenced marital relationships. Although recent research has documented contemporary patterns of marital interaction, less is known about what Chinese adults consider to be an ideal marital partner and what their parent' roles play in the mate selection process. What do contemporary Chinese adults value in a partner? How much parental influence is involved in choosing an ideal marital partner? These questions were addressed by conducting six focus groups in Taipei, Taiwan. The focus groups included a total of 51 participants (male = 25; female = 26) and included separate groups for middle-aged married men, middle-aged married women, younger married men, younger married women, never-married young adult men, and never-married young adult women. The results from qualitative analysis indicated three major themes in an ideal partner: family-of-origin (e.g., similar family background, good relationship with in-laws), personal qualities (e.g., financially stable, responsible), and relationship qualities (e.g., getting along, communicating well, mutual respect, gender equality). These results indicate that contemporary Chinese adults value a combination of traditional Chinese (e.g., similar family background) and Western (e.g. good communication) values. When it comes to parental approval on their marriage, most younger participants reported that they would marry a person despite their parents' disapproval, although many indicated that they would want their parents' approval because it would increase family harmony. The older participants, on the other hand, were more likely to still favor parents having significant influence on who their children marry. Overall, the young Chinese participants showed greater incorporation of Western values than the older participants. These findings suggest that modern Chinese society is being increasingly influenced by individualistic Western values.

近年，臺灣社會晚婚人口急速攀升，導致單身人口增加，進而造成了生育少子化、人口高齡化等人口結構面的影響外，在其他政治、經濟、社會、勞動力等各方面，也衍生不同程度的問題，晚婚現象不只是男女兩性的問題。因此，此課題值得深究。本研究旨在探究晚婚、未婚及單身等現象是否亦反映在收入穩定的女性公務員上，期望藉由窺探晚婚女性公務員婚姻觀及擇偶偏好之樣貌，企圖瞭解真正形成晚婚的深層因素，並提供許多晚婚女性公務員，做為對自我認識之參考。 本研究採質性研究之深度訪談法。研究對象總數共計10人，均為30歲(含)以上迄今仍未曾有過法律婚約關係及婚姻經驗、且現仍服務於政府各機關之女性公務員。經分析訪談資料後，所得研究發現綜述如下： 一、對婚姻的必要性多抱持正面看法，普遍認為晚婚是一種趨勢，表示35歲以 後才算晚婚，並抱持著隨緣等待的消極態度。而30歲代表著步入人生另一 個階段，對未來的不確定感也會因此加深。 二、期望中的理想婚姻樣貌係夫妻共組小家庭、經濟無虞，彼此是對等、分享 的關係。在家務分擔上各自負責擅長部分，並能視實際工作狀況相互協 調。 三、生活圈狹隘及已逾適婚年齡為目前最主要遭遇的擇偶困境。此外，對性有 高度自主性，普遍能接受與男友有婚前性行為。 四、交往經驗中對方家人的態度及預期婚後與公婆相處的壓力，都是主要考量 是否進ㄧ步交往或步入婚姻的要素。 五、晚婚女性公務員在選擇其婚配對象時，最看重心靈層面的情感條件，在意 雙方的溝通狀況及親密感。 本研究根據研究發現，提出以下建議： 一、建議晚婚女性公務員應積極參與活動，培養個人興趣，拓展生活及增廣自 身見聞，主動發展話題。並應建立正向信念，親友經驗做為參考之用。 二、釐清自我需求，設定適合、務實的擇偶條件，及早規劃人生道路、積極拓 展人際。 三、應建立正確的婚姻教育及觀念，重新確立婚姻的意義及重要性，培養獨立 自主的生活能力及擔當精神。 四、建議機關單位可多舉辦跨機關、跨科室之聯誼活動，提供多元交友管道， 拓展認識異性之機會。 / In recent years, the number of people getting married late in Taiwan has been rising rapidly. It leads to the increases of single people, which results in further demographic structure changes such as fewer newborns and aging populations. It also causes different problems in other social aspects such as politics, economy, society and labor force. The phenomenon of people getting married late isn’t just a gender problem. Therefore, this subject is worthy of inquiry. This study is about investigating if the phenomenon of people getting married late and single makes an impact on the female civil servants, who have steady incomes. In this study, I try to understand the profound reasons that cause female civil servants to get married late by observing their marital values and mate-selection preferences. This study will serve as a reference to them that might help them to understand themselves better. This study is conducted in a qualitative research methodology through in-depth interviews with 10 female civil servants, who are over 30-year-old and never have marriage relationships. After analyzing their interview data, this study finds as blew: 1. They all feel positive about the necessity of marriage. However, they also think that it’s a trend to get married late, which is over 35-year-old. And they keep passive attitudes toward marriage. Being 30-year-old means step into another stage of life to them, and it will deepen the feeling of uncertainty for the future. 2. The ideal marriage is a nuclear family. The couple are financially free, and having an equal and sharing relationship. They share household chores which coordinate with their works. 3. Narrowness of life circle and being over marriageable age are the main obstacles for them to find partners. In addition, they value sexual autonomy and premarital sex is acceptable to most of them. 4. The attitude of their partner’s family members and the foreseeable pressure of getting along with their parents-in-law after getting married are the main considerations whether they should have a relationship or get married. 5. When it comes to mate-selection, the emotional aspect is the most important condition for those female civil servants who get married late. They care about how they communicate with their mates and the close feeling between them. Based on this study, I made several recommendations as below: 1. For female civil servants who get married late, I suggest that they should be more positive in activities, expand their life and experiences and find conversation topics actively. Establish positive faith and learn from the experiences of relatives and friends. 2. Define their own needs and pragmatic conditions for their future partners.Make a plan for life earlier and expand interpersonal relationships actively. 3. Establish correct ideas about marriage. Re-establish the meaning and importance of marriage. And cultivate an independent life ability and responsible attitude. 4. I recommend the government agencies to hold more gatherings cross organizations and offices. They will provide civil servants multi-dimensional channels to make friends and expand opportunities to know friends of opposite sex.

晚婚人口的增加，影響所及最顯著的就是生育率的降低。所以晚婚現象不單單只是男女兩性的問題，也衍生出人口結構面及政府社會福利與相關政策制定等的問題。而晚婚現象也充斥著各行各業，以國內金融業為例，金融業的員工往往以女性為大宗，而在男性寥寥可數的工作環境下，容易造成金融業女性想要內銷不易；再加上工作時間過長、工作壓力大，不容易自然認識到異性，若又不積極向外打開社交圈，單身的狀態更是難以突破，因此為一項值得深究的課題。 本研究採取質化研究的半結構式訪談法，訪問了12名已達30歲（含）以上而尚處於未婚狀態的女性金融從業人員，旨在探究晚婚女性金融人員的擇偶條件與婚姻態度，企圖統整出影響她們晚婚的因素。經分析訪談資料後，所得研究重要發現如下述： 一、結婚之必要性鬆動。婚姻是一種緣分，而結婚最重要的前提就是是否能尋得一位「值得託付終身的對象」，如果結婚沒有單身好，那麼就更沒有結婚的必要了！ 反而認為女孩子經濟獨立比較重要。 二、不一定只有結婚才算是盡子女的責任，不婚有時反而有更多的時間可以陪伴家人，進而孝順自己的父母親，為自己的原生家庭盡一份力量，讓父母們能夠放寬心，也是另一種盡子女的責任，而且長輩也不希望子女是為了結婚而結婚。 三、結婚也不一定要生小孩。生不生小孩應該是要在夫妻雙方都有穩定的經濟基礎及規劃下，再來慎重考慮之後做決定，此也正可呼應為何現在我國的生育率如此低落。 四、不婚不等於晚年會孤獨。人本來就是孤獨的，有時候結婚有伴也不見得就比較不孤獨，況且可以排解孤獨的方式也有很多種，每個人都會變老，最重要的應該是要培養出自己的興趣。 五、工作環境、壓力多多少少對晚婚都有點影響。尤其是現今金融業面對國際化以及同行競爭，處在此種競爭激烈的工作環境下，工作壓力大、工時長，往往下班時就已經疲累到不行，假日時間可能又必須得準備證照考試來努力充實自己，有時忙到可能都沒有時間找對象，或者好好去經營一段感情，也會擔心有了家庭小孩後，該如何在工作跟家庭間做一個權衡。 六、而這些晚婚女性金融人員仍未結婚最主要的原因還是尚未找到一位「值得託付終身的對象」，在未找到合適的人之前，採取不要勉強自己，寧缺勿濫的態度。而且年紀越大，經歷過的事情越多，越能夠瞭解婚姻的現實面，對於結婚也就越沒有了衝動。 本研究並根據研究發現，提出以下建議： 一、如果有結婚的意願及打算，就應該要積極準備，拓展人際關係，不要為自己設限，能夠多元交友，不要再只是消極的隨緣等候緣分的到來。 二、釐清自己真正的需求，設定務實、適合自己的擇偶條件，而非執著於某些三高等的外在條件。 三、建議相關單位可多舉辦聯誼活動，提供多元交友管道，拓展認識異性之機會。 / The number of people getting married late has been increasing, and the most significant impact is the reduction in fertility. The phenomenon of people getting married late isn’t just a gender problem, but also causes different problems in demographic structure and government social welfare policy. And the phenomenon of late marriage filled various walks of life, for example in the domestic financial industry many of its employees are women but few men. Its long working hours and pressure cause women more difficult to find their ideal person. Therefore, this subject is worthy of inquiry. This study uses the qualitative methodology of semi structured interviews, to interview twelve female financial people who are over 30-year-old and unmarried. In this study I try to integrate the reasons that cause female financial people to get married late by observing their mate-selection preferences and marital values. After analyzing their interview data, the results of the research show the following key points: 1.The most important prerequisite to get married is to find an ideal person. If getting married is not better than single, then the marriage is no more necessary! 2.Marriage is not only being regarded as filial piety anymore. Unmarried people can have more time to accompany with their family and their elders hope their children do not marry just to marry. 3.Getting married doesn’t have to have children. A decision to having children should be at a stable economic base and after careful consideration. This is also why our fertility rate is so low. 4.Not married doesn’t mean you will be lonely when you are old. Everyone will get older, the most important thing is you should cultivate your own interests. 5.Working environment and pressure have little influence on the late marriage. Especially the financial sector now faces the international competition. Such a competitive environment, work pressure, and long working hours make them not have time to find their ideal person or to manage a relationship. 6.And the main reason that female financial people getting married late is not found an ideal person and they don’t want to force themselves. This study also offers the following suggestions: 1.Make a plan for life earlier and expand interpersonal relationships actively. Don’t set limits for yourself and keep passive attitudes toward marriage. 2.Define their own needs and pragmatic conditions for their future partners. 3.I recommend the coherent units to hold more gatherings cross organizations. Provide civil servants multi-dimensional channels to make friends and expand opportunities to know friends of opposite sex.