A survey of people's attitude to marriage and relationships conducted in Tianjin suggests that people's understanding of what it takes to make a good marriage changes with age.

Generally speaking, younger couples tend to be more interested in material things and are less tolerant of each other. While couples that have been married for nearly half a century say the key to a successful marriage is tolerance.

Many people in long-term marriages say they'll often put their own needs second in the interests of the marriage.

Middle-aged couples tend to think that children are the most important factor in marriage.

Over half those interviewed say they value children before their spouses and themselves, and believe a harmonious marriage must provide a good environment for children to develop.

Young couples expect to benefit both psychologically and financially from marriage.

The survey shows that for many young people, tolerance doesn't equal endless suffering. They say they're not prepared to maintain a marriage at all costs.

There are other changes in marriage brought about by the rise feminism, with men no longer seen as the sole breadwinner in a family and many women choosing to work.

Young couples believe that a happy marriage demands mutual trust and respect for each other's individuality.

According to sociologists, the different views of marriage are a product of the different conditions that people grow up in.

(CRI April 18, 2005)