英闻天下——546 2nd Marriages of Senior Citizens Arouse Concern

 　　The re-marriage between two elderly people is on the increase recently in China. The new trend has aroused lots of concern from people from all walks of life. And the priority concern includes problems of how to handle their personal deposits, properties and the inheritance issue.

 

　　CRI's Shen Ting has more.

 

　　Reporter: In China, the old age empty - nest families account for 50 percent of the families' total on average, with this percentage would go up as high as 70 percent in some specific areas.

 

　　Without children to take care of them, these left-behind old people have aroused much social concern for their physical as well as psychological health. In a bid to give them more care and help, a number of social organs have been set up. The Beijing Association for Marriage and Family Harmony is one of them.

 

　　According to Li Ziwei, secretary general of the association, they have arranged various friends-making activities in eight senior-citizen clubs they founded citywide within the last two years to help the aged¹ surviving spouse² with their attempt of getting re-married.

 

　　"Female senior-aged participants far outnumber male participants in these match-making parties we've arranged. We usually invite male participants to go onto the stage having a brief introduction of themselves and showing their talents through interesting performances. Female participants who feel interested would go to present him a flower."

 

　　However, Li Ziwei admits the way for their remarriage is far from smooth.

 

　　"Senior citizens will encounter obstacles in their re-marriage. But these obstacles don't come from our society, which I think is open, progressive and very tolerant. I think the pressure mainly comes from their children who consider more of the senior's property issue, including their housing."

 

　　Hu Qianna, a citizen of east China's Jiangsu province, thinks children's consideration of problems like how to handle properties and assets and the inheritance issue is a reasonable attitude.

 

　　"The re-marriage of senior citizens will definitely have an impact on re-distribution of the family asset. Since the stepmother or stepfather becomes eligible³ to inherit asset of their spouse according to law, children would oppose the marriage and I think their opposition⁴ surely has a reason."

 

　　Shall elderly people give way as their remarriage meets strong opposition from their children? Chen Xu, a lawyer experienced in dealing⁵ with family disputes, believes they should insist on their pursuit of happy family life.

 

　　Meanwhile, he also provides a key to solve the center problem---property-division.

 

　　"If family asset is the reason to set a pair of senior citizens apart, it is necessary for them to make pre-marital property notarization."

 

　　Liu Xuejun, a psychologist with Beijing's Hui-Long-Guan hospital, also supports the remarriage of widowed senior citizens, stressing the importance of a partner in elderly people's life.

 

　　"Aged people need to have a partner to verbally communicate with, which is conducive⁶ for their mental as well as physical health. When they are alone, they incline to feel lonely and depressed⁷."

 

　　It is estimated China will have more than 400 million people aged above 60 by 2050.

 

　　Experts even say that "empty nest" families will become the major pattern in Chinese cities and even many rural areas, dealing a blow to the traditional family support system and requiring the government to take greater care of the material and spiritual needs of senior citizens.

 

　　Hence they have recommended improving economic and health support, building more facilities for urban and rural senior residents and encouraging them to participate in social activities.

1 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

2 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

3 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

6 conducive   

adj.有益的，有助的

参考例句：

• This is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.这样的氛围更有利于学习。
• Exercise is conducive to good health.体育锻炼有助于增强体质。

7 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。