Man’s suicide in China highlights woes in finding wives

With men outnumbering women, they face pressure to provide for their girlfriends

- Aw Cheng Wei

A recent case of a Chinese man who killed himself after his girlfriend took all his money and dumped him has struck a nerve in a country where men vastly outnumber women and face pressure to provide for their other half even before marriage.

Video gamer Liu Jie, 21, leapt off a bridge in the south-western city of Chongqing on April 11, Chinese media reported, based on social media posts made by Mr Liu's older sister and friends, who posted chats he had with his former girlfriend, including his money transfers to her.

Mr Liu was more popularly known by his online moniker Pang Mao, or Fat Cat, named after a character in a popular video game.

The tragedy was the most discussed topic on Weibo, China's most popular microblogging platform, when the death was reported in late April, attracting 120 million views and sparking 735,000 discussion threads so far.

Analysts say the case has resonated with many young Chinese, particularly men, who face very high odds in trying to find a wife and are expected to be the main financial provider in a relationship.

Assistant Professor Mu Zheng of the National University of Singapore's sociology and anthropology department told The Straits Times that the prevailing view in Chinese society is that "men should be the providers in exchange for women's feminine qualities, such as beauty, youth, emotional support and domestic responsibilities".