BEIJING – After China’s Lunar New Year celebrations in early 2026, divorce counters across the country turned into some of the busiest government windows. Each year, a post-New Year divorce surge (often called the Spring Festival divorce wave) drives a rush of filings as soon as the holiday ends.
At one civil affairs office in Dongbei (Northeast China), staff logged 47 divorce filings on the first workday back, along with only 3 marriage applications. Meanwhile, in several cities, divorce appointment slots have been filled well into March. Some offices now require number draws, and a few even use lottery-style systems just to start the process.
The pattern points to pressure that builds during long family visits, money stress, and nonstop time together during the world’s biggest annual travel season. Although China’s overall divorce totals rise and fall with policy changes, the post-holiday rush keeps showing how quickly stress can spill into major decisions.
How Big the Rush Gets
The Lunar New Year (also called the Spring Festival) usually falls in late January or early February. It brings an official week off, plus days of extended family gatherings. In 2026, celebrations wrapped up around mid-February, so registries reopened to an immediate backlog.
Across the country, reports described the same scenes: long lines at civil affairs bureaus, overloaded online booking systems, and waiting periods stretching for weeks. In the Dongbei provinces like Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang, the surge often looks sharper than elsewhere. That matches past years, when local offices in the region recorded high shares of filings.
National figures add context. China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs reported about 2.743 million divorce registrations in 2025, shaped by demographic shifts and legal updates. Full 2026 data is not out yet, but early signs after the holiday suggest the annual spike hasn’t faded.
At the same time, marriage applications often stay low right after the festival. Many young couples hold off because of economic uncertainty, while divorce filings reflect arguments and resentments that never got resolved.
Why the Holiday Can Push Couples Over the Edge
The Chinese New Year is supposed to be about unity, but it can also magnify problems. Couples spend more time together, often while staying with relatives, and small conflicts can grow fast.
- Too much time together, too little space: When work routines pause, couples interact all day, and minor issues can turn into bigger fights.
- Family pressure and interference: Relatives ask about kids, jobs, and money. In-laws may criticize daughters-in-law or push sons to “take charge.”
- Higher costs: Hongbao (red envelopes), travel, and hosting add up. That hits harder when youth unemployment is high, and living costs keep rising.
- Cheating exposed: Some affairs come to light during gatherings, either through suspicion or new evidence.
- Emotional breakdown: In recent years, many couples cite a “breakdown in mutual affection,” and the holiday can bring that to a boil.
During the 2026 festival, social media searches also leaned into the same theme, with phrases like “Did your family argue during New Year?” trending widely.
This isn’t unique to China, since many countries see divorce spikes after major holidays. Still, the strong cultural focus on family harmony can make the aftermath feel more intense.
Policies Meant to Slow Divorces, With Mixed Results
China has rolled out policies to reduce impulsive divorce and support family stability, as births stay low and the population ages.
- A 30-day cooling-off period (started in 2021) forces couples seeking mutual divorce to wait before final approval. That rule caused a short-term drop in registrations.
- Legal changes that took effect in 2025 updated asset division rules, with more protection for pre-marital property and clearer joint custody language. Critics say the balance can still feel unfair, especially for women.
- Marriage registration became easier through wider “anywhere registration” starting in mid-2025. That helped drive a 10.8% rise in marriages in 2025 (6.76 million total), the first clear rebound in years.
Even with these steps, divorces remain high. Some periods in the first half of 2025 saw a small year-over-year increase, and the post-holiday rush keeps returning. Supporters of the cooling-off period say it helps couples reconsider, while critics say it can make it harder for people to leave abusive relationships quickly.
The government has also tried to curb “anti-marriage” content online during festival periods, while promoting pro-birth messages. Still, many young adults point to jobs, housing costs, and daily expenses as the real reasons they delay marriage or struggle to stay married.
Where the Wave Hits Hardest
Northeast China, or Dongbei, often stands out during the post-New Year spike. Economic pressure and more traditional family expectations may play a role.
In one reported case, a local civil affairs office processed dozens of divorces on reopening day. Staff also said many couples arrived separately, which suggested problems had been building for a long time.
Big cities like Beijing and Shanghai see similar demand, although appointment systems can reduce the chaos. On the other hand, some rural areas face longer delays because they have fewer staff and limited resources.
Online posts also add a human angle. People describe getting criticized during family meals for not having children, earning too little, or “failing” at work. After the holiday ends, some couples return to normal life and decide they’re done.
What It Says About Life in China Today
This yearly surge also reflects changing attitudes. Divorce carries less stigma than it once did, especially for younger adults influenced by more individual choice and wider conversations about gender roles.
Still, the trend complicates China’s demographic goals. Even with a modest marriage rebound in 2025, the long-term direction has been down since the peak years around 2013, and births remain low. Family instability adds another layer to those challenges.
Meanwhile, a small “divorce economy” has grown around the shift. Legal services, help with property division, and even “freedom” photo shoots show how normal the process has become for some people.
For many couples, the days after Lunar New Year feel like a reset. The stress of the holiday brings long-standing issues to the surface, and once offices reopen, people act on decisions they’ve been weighing for months.
