民法典婚姻家庭编草案21日提请十三届全国人大常委会三次审议。

草案三审稿对法定婚龄暂不做修改，维持现行婚姻法规定的结婚年龄：男不得早于二十二周岁，女不得早于二十周岁。

A draft section on marriage and family of the civil code indicated China's legal age for marriage will remain unchanged at 22 for men and 20 for women.

The draft law was submitted to the bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, for third review on Monday.

据《中国青年报》报道，草案三审稿维持了现行法定婚龄的规定，认为现行法定婚龄的规定已为广大社会公众所熟知和认可，如果进行修改，属于婚姻制度的重大调整，宜在进行充分的调查研究和科学的分析评估后再定。

Review of the draft law suggested that the current policy on the legal marrying age is widely recognized and accepted. Any revision, which amounts to significant adjustment to the marriage system, requires ample research and sufficient scientific assessment.

人大代表建议修改

法定结婚年龄曾引发热议

在今年的全国两会上，针对我国当下存在的人口问题，全国人大代表、贝达药业董事长丁列明指出，现行法定结婚年龄及鼓励晚婚晚育的规定已与我国当前的人口发展形势、生育政策等不相适应，建议尽快对现行婚姻法的相关条款进行修订。

丁列明指出，我国现行法定婚龄在国际上、我国历史上均处于最高水平。从国际来看，大多数国家的法定婚龄在18岁至16岁。鉴此，现行法定结婚年龄及晚婚晚育的规定已与计划生育政策和工作目标不相适应，需修订完善。

During this year's two sessions, Ding Lieming, founder and chairman of Zhejiang Beta Pharma Co Ltd and a deputy to the National People's Congress, suggested that the minimum legal age for marriage be reduced to 20 for men and 18 for women.

According to Ding, China's current marriageable age, which is the highest in comparison to that of other countries, is no longer compatible for a society that sees its population rapidly aging.

在建议提出后，不少网友提出了反对意见。

The suggestion was immediately opposed by many netizens.

趋势：结婚率下降，结婚年龄推迟

近年来，选择单身或晚婚的年轻人越来越多。数据显示，去年中国结婚率跌至11年来最低点。

Last year, 10.14 million couples registered to get married, 4.6 percent lower than in 2017. The marriage rate was 0.73 percent, down from 0.77 percent the year before, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

民政部的数据显示，去年全年中国结婚登记总数为1014万对，同比下降4.6%。结婚率也从上一年的7.7‰降至7.3‰。

结婚年龄也不断推迟，2017年，男女平均结婚年龄分别约为29岁和27岁，比2014年增加了约1岁。

In 2017, the average age of men and women at first marriage was around 29 and 27, respectively, around a year increase compared with 2014.

另外，结婚率也出现了明显的地域差异，经济越发达的地区结婚率越低。

2018年，上海、浙江的结婚率为全国倒数前两名，上海结婚率为4.35‰，全国最低。

In China, Shanghai had the lowest marriage rate last year－only 4.35 per thousand. Among the other places with a low marriage rate were Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces, and Beijing and Tianjin, which are also relatively well developed.

是什么造成了结婚率下跌和结婚年龄的推迟？专家学者们分析了以下几个原因。

1社会老龄化，适婚人口比重减少

中南财经政法大学人口与健康研究中心主任石智雷指出，结婚率的下降与人口结构关系很大，随着老龄化的发展，结婚适龄人口的比重在相应减少，这必然会导致一般结婚率的下降。

上海金融与法律研究院研究员刘远举也表示：

The downturn in marriage rates is normal when considering the dwindling youth population, the main contributor to the trend.

考虑到年轻人口的减少，结婚率会下降便不奇怪了，这也是结婚率低的主要原因。

"Due to the demographic structure, the marriage rate is expected to decrease further," he said.

他说：“由于人口结构的变化，预计结婚率还会进一步下降。”

2年轻人接受教育的时间延长了

此外，适婚的年轻群体中，接受教育的时间越长，结婚年龄也会越晚。

Among young people of marriageable age, Liu said the longer periods of time people spend undergoing formal education have led to many to putting off marriage until later in life.

刘远举称，适婚的年轻群体中，由于接受正规教育的时间延长了，因此很多人的结婚年龄也相应推迟了。

3结婚成本增加

买房育儿等生活成本的上升也是年轻人不敢轻易结婚的原因之一（the soaring costs of housing and child rearing in cities have fueled a growing unwillingness to start families）。

南开大学人口学教授李建民认为：

The decline in the marriage rate is closely related to the rising cost of getting married, especially the staggeringly high housing prices in some big cities and the increasing betrothal money a bridegroom has to give to the bride's parents. Marriage has become an economic issue as much as a social issue.

结婚率下降与结婚成本的增加有着密切联系，尤其考虑到大城市高企的房价和高价的彩礼。如今结婚既是一个社会问题，也是一个经济问题。

4网络占据了情感空间

社会的多元化和社交媒体的发达也让年轻人有了更多可寄托情感的事物。

中国社会科学院社会发展战略研究院研究员葛道顺认为：

The internet has had a big impact on people's interpersonal relations, marriage included.

互联网对婚姻关系等人际关系的影响也十分巨大。

With more time and emotions consumed on the internet, people's need for interpersonal attachment and real-life interactions are reduced.

人们在互联网上耗费的时间和情感越来越多，就越来越不需要人际间的情感联系和现实生活中的互动。

5女性结婚意愿降低

专家认为，结婚率下降的另一个原因是选择不结婚的人群比例在上升，尤其是女性。

南开大学教授原新表示，2015年全国30-34岁女性不结婚比例在6%左右，比1990年提高了10倍左右。

葛道顺分析称：

With society becoming more inclusive and open, marriage is no longer the only way a woman can gain social status and success. This, to a large extent, has prompted a growing number of women to opt for a late marriage, or not marrying at all.

随着社会越来越包容开放，婚姻已不再是女性获得社会地位和成功的唯一方式，这在很大程度促使更多女性选择晚婚甚至不婚。

《我的前半生》里唐晶的职业女性形象深入人心

美国国家公共电台（NPR）也报道称，中国结婚率的下跌是因为更多女性选择晚婚，尤其是受教育程度较高、经济独立的女性。

报道称，虽然在中国的总人口里男性人数比女性多，但在过去的二十年中，大学里的女性人数已超过男性，这也导致了更多女性选择晚婚。

That means more women have career trajectories they don't want to jeopardize by marrying and having children while they're in their 20s and 30s. They're marrying later, or not at all.

这意味着更多的女性有自己的职业轨迹，她们不希望在自己二三十岁的时候让婚姻和子女影响自己的职业生涯。她们选择晚婚，甚至不结婚。

trajectory: /trəˈdʒektəri/ 轨道、轨迹