Using data from China's 6th and 7th Censuses, this study assesses the accuracy of first marriage statistics, applies necessary adjustments, and explores their implications for analyzing marriage patterns. The findings reveal that trends in census-reported first marriages largely align with civil registration records but have been lower than those in civil records since 2010. Comparisons between the 6th and 7th Censuses reveal discrepancies in first marriage counts from 1980 to 2010. According to the 7th Census, the number of first marriages in 2010 was 2.53 times higher for males and 2.34 times higher for females than those recorded in the 6th Census. Data adjustments are crucial, as raw census data consistently underestimate historical first marriage levels nationwide and overestimate mean ages at first marriage. Adjusted data indicate notable shifts in China's first marriage patterns since 1980, with sharper declines in total first marriage rates and faster increases in the mean age at first marriage from 2010 to 2020.

Using data from China's 7th Census and previous census data since 1990, this paper analyzes the trends and characteristics of marriage squeeze among men in recent decades. Results show that the marriage squeezes among men and its consequences have significantly manifested. The sex ratio of marriageable population has sharply increased from 2010 to 2020, and it is projected to peak at 116.13 by 2036. Unlike in the past, when the phenomenon was primarily concentrated in socio-economically underdeveloped regions, the surplus of never married men in economically developed areas with high urbanization rates becomes apparent. The marriage squeeze among men leads to substantial gender disparities in first marriage probabilities, with significantly lower probabilities of first marriage for men compared to women and a substantial increase in the expected number of years for never married men to get married. The scale of rural involuntary bachelors remains elevated, with urban areas experiencing a growing population of involuntary bachelors. The urban never married men aged 45 and above increased from 1.76 million to 3.88 million from 2010 to 2020. Involuntary bachelors have relatively limited economic resources, increased reliance on minimum subsistence allowance, and a rising proportion of unhealthy and solitary life in old age.