An anti-forced marriage advertisement has been posted at the subway station of Dongzhimen in Beijing.

A passenger looks at the anti-forced marriage advertisement at Dongzhimen subway station in Beijing on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016. [Photo: xinmin.cn]

Many Chinese parents regard it as a problem if their children of marriageable-age remain single, and usually take the opportunity of family reunions during the Spring Festival holiday to urge the younger generation to settle down.

Countering such pressure, the advertisement reads, "Dear Mom and Dad, don't worry. The world is so big and lifestyles are various. Being single can also bring happiness."

The poster, showing a smiling face, a heart shape and New Year elements, stays away from words like "forcing" or "urging", so as to avoid starting arguments between the generations.

Experts also say people forced into getting married are also more likely to get divorced.

That fits with data released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs that shows the divorce rate surpassed the marriage rate for the first time, in the decade between 2002 and 2012.

The advertisement is the result of a crowd-funded campaign coordinated by a group of people concerned by the number of parents who believe that forced-marriage is acceptable.

As the fifth busiest subway station in the cityhe, Dongzhimen sees a passenger flow of 1.8 million every day.

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