A recent survey conducted by the Zero Co. among 1,888 permanent residents aged between 18-60 in seven cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, Shenyang and Xi'an shows: Married family has gradually become the focus of the value of life of the modern males, while in the minds of females, the health of family members is most important, and happiness of family is most to be proud of. Although the traditional form of the concepts of married family of the modern people has been carried on, it has, however, undergone quiet changes in the rapidly developing society.

Married family is most worthwhile for us to highly treasure

The survey shows that a married family has become the "most important" thing for modern males in their lives.

In the survey among those asked what are the most important things in one's life, the answers are: "the health of family members" (13.3 percent) becomes the first choice of males, followed by "a good wife" (10.7 percent), while the importance of employment is placed third (10.6 percent), and then comes "the happiness of a family" (10.4 percent).

Clearly, although career still holds a fairly important position in the hearts of males, along with the development of the times, however, married family has gradually become the focus of the value of males' lives.

This survey aimed at women reveals that in their minds, the most important and valuable thing is still the health of family members, while the thing of greatest pride is the happiness of a family.

What is worth mentioning is the view holding that employment is the most important and should be most treasured, which occupies a fairly high proportion (7.4 percent). This ratio reflects the fact that modern females have inherited the traditional concept of value featuring "a good wife and kind mother" and at the same time they are changing toward the modern concept of value featuring "career women".

According to the analysis of the investigator, modern men and women all treasure family and marriage, it is thus clear that the cultural tradition that takes "family" and "peace" as the most precious still takes deep root in people's hearts.

In choosing a spouse the first choice is one with a sense of family responsibility

The present investigation result shows that 31.9 percent of males set the primary standard for their choice of spouses is the ones with a sense of family responsibility, 27.3 percent of men hold that the disposition and temper of their wives are most important, still about one-fourth of men put the moral qualities of their wives in the first place, while those men who put the looks of their wives (or future wives) first account for only 3.5 percent.

"The sense of family responsibility" is also most loved by modern women. The present investigation result shows that about half (49.6 percent) of women put the sense of family responsibility in the first place, the next come in order are

"disposition and temper" (16.5 percent), "honesty, kindheartedness, and good moral character" (15.6 percent), while women who set money and power as the standard for their choice of spouses account for only 4.7 percent. What is worth mentioning here is that 7.9 percent women require their spouses to be learned, thoughtful and knowledgeable, this reflects the epochal demand of a knowledge-based society.

Friendship between opposite sex receives attention

More and more capable women have entered the employment market, they have changed from dependences to colleagues and proceeded to become bosom friends of many men, they both can help one another in career and console one another in feelings. They have possessed a phase of friendship with the opposite sex and have been recognized as modern people by their contemporaries.

Having good wives at home and bosom friends outside are one of the living conditions most aspired for by modern men. 73.7 percent of males hold that heterosexual friendship and homosexual friendship are equally important, there are even 4.4 percent males who think that heterosexual friendship is even more important.

Similarly, 77.1 percent of those women surveyed hold that heterosexual friendship and homosexual friendship are equally important, and there are even 4.4 percent women who believe that heterosexual friendship is more important.

By People's Daily Online