Just a few years ago, someone in China who wanted a divorce needed the permission of their employer, as well as the approval of their relatives and neighbors.

Due to a rapid and dramatic cultural shift, many more Chinese are pursuing divorces today.

And, from a legal perspective, the process is not very complicated, often completed in just a few months.

Chinese divorce law reportedly provides for an even division of marital property, similar to many states in the US.

Many factors are cited for the climbing divorce rate in China, including the spread of individualism, increasing emphasis on personal happiness, declining social stigma, societal transition to nuclear family lifestyles instead of extended family lifestyles, decentralization of employment, and more urban housing styles.

Read more in this Washington Post article: Chinese Slough Off Old Barriers to Divorce.