A grieving man’s social media post in memory of his late wife has sparked criticism among younger Chinese women who are increasingly skeptical about marriage and the sacrifices it demands from their personal lives and careers.
Qiao Jialan, a Chinese man residing in Winnipeg, Canada, shared a nearly 10,000-word article titled “The Death of My Wife” on his WeChat account on April 9. The essay commemorated 37-year-old Zhang Min, his wife and mother of three who passed away from lung cancer in November 2023.
Qiao’s article focused on the challenges they faced in the local healthcare system, triggering an initial outpouring of support. Then netizens dug into their past. Earning her master’s from the University of Manitoba, Zhang had brought the family from Shanghai to Canada in 2019, where the couple had their third child. Due to his limited English, Qiao stayed at home to care for their children while Zhang worked at a bank and tutored parttime as the sole breadwinner.
Qiao’s article, which included a link to solicit donations for support, eventually made him a target on social media.
Many were incensed how marriage and family obligations had drained a highly-educated and ambitious woman, while the husband seemed incompetent in comparison. Some even claimed it was these burdens that ultimately led to Zhang’s decline, lamenting that a brilliant woman, who could have had a brighter future, had wilted within the confines of marriage.
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