Younger generations of Chinese, particularly those raised in cities, are more likely to embrace gender equality. The rise of women’s education and workforce participation has also shifted perceptions of daughters’ value.

The overall sex ratio for the total population was 105.07 males per 100 females .

More recently, in 2023, a documentary called , directed by Oscar-shortlisted filmmaker Violet Du Feng, continued this tradition, following young men attending a dating camp in an effort to reinvent themselves and find love against the backdrop of China’s competitive dating market.

This created a literal gap of approximately 35 million "surplus" men.

Videos showcased rural villages populated almost entirely by unmarried men, illustrating the stark reality of the "marriage squeeze."

The demographic crisis highlighted in the 2021 videos did not happen overnight. It was the result of a collision between state policy and deeply ingrained cultural norms. 1. The One-Child Policy (1979–2015)

(0:00 - 0:30) China has one of the world's most skewed sex ratios at birth. This imbalance has significant social, economic, and demographic implications. In this video, we'll explore the reasons behind China's sex ratio imbalance and its potential consequences.

: Millions of men face a lifetime of involuntary celibacy and social isolation, leading to rising rates of depression and anxiety among rural male populations. Government Responses and the Future