Recently, a map of China’s top ten gathering places for singles became an internet hit. The map has triggered extensive discussions among netizens.

　　近日，中國十大單身狗聚集城市的地圖在網上走紅。這個圖片引起了大眾的熱烈討論。

　 　Statistics from the Ministry of Civil Affairs show that there are nearly 200 million single people on the Chinese mainland, and more and more women voluntarily choose to be single. In 1990, 6 percent of the total population lived alone, while in 2013, the figure was 14.6 percent. From the map, we can see that Tianjin, Sichuan and Heilongjiang are the top three gathering places for singles in China.

　　來自于民政部的數據顯示，中國大陸有近2億單身人口，而且越來越多的女性自愿選擇單身。1990年，只有6%的人口獨居，而2013年獨居人口高達14.6%。從地圖上可以看出，天津、四川、黑龍江是中國獨居人口最多的地區。

　 　Why do so many people now choose to be single? Is it because true love is scarcer? The answer may be complicated. However, generally speaking, the trend of staying single has much to do with the following factors.

　　為什么越來越多的人選擇單身呢？因為真愛太少見了？答案或許是很復雜的。但是，一般說來，單身潮流的興起大致有以下幾個因素。

　 　First of all, women have become more economically independent, which is an important condition for doing away with male chauvinism and a patriarchal society. Economically independent women have changed women’s dependence on men in love and marriage. Nowadays, women have the ability to plan their own lives.

　　第一，越來越多的女性開始經濟獨立，這是脫離大男子主義和男權社會的主要因素。女性經濟獨立改變了女性對于男性在愛情和婚姻方面的依賴。當今，女性有能力計劃自己的生活。

　 　Secondly, information tools have changed people’s interactions, including how men and women get along with one another. It is easier to establish social relations, and singles find no difficulty in acquiring intimate companions.

　　第二，信息交流工具改變了人們之間的聯系，包括男女之間的相處方式。建立社會聯系很簡單，單身人士很容易和其他人建立密切伙伴關系。

　 　Thirdly, people’s attitudes toward childbirth have changed. Marriage has historically been largely in service of carrying on the family line. Today, the birth rate of urban, white-collar women continues to reach new lows. Some women even try freezing their eggs to extend the possibility of childbearing. What’s more, fewer and fewer people get married for the purpose of having children.

　　第三，人們對生育孩子的觀念改變了。婚姻素來被認為是主要用來傳宗接代的。但是今天，城市白領女性的生育率越來越低。一些女性甚至嘗試冷凍卵子來延長生育孩子的期限。而且越來越少的人為了生育孩子才選擇結婚。