The recent marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Ho, which features a notable 33-year age gap, has sparked significant public interest in Hong Kong since May 2024. Mr. Ho, aged 76, and Mrs. Ho, 43, tied the knot just three months after their initial meeting. Mr. Ho marked the occasion with extravagant gifts, including a Rolex and a diamond ring valued at HK$200,000 (approximately US$25,700) [ae4e1beb]. This relationship has prompted discussions about societal norms surrounding age-gap couples, particularly the commonality of older men marrying younger women, while relationships with older women are less frequently accepted [ae4e1beb].
Historically, age-gap relationships have been prevalent in Chinese society. For instance, Sun Yat-sen, a key figure in the Chinese revolution, married Soong Ching-ling when he was 49 and she was just 22 in 1915. Similarly, Qi Baishi, a renowned painter, took a 17-year-old concubine at the age of 55. More recently, Nobel laureate Yang Chen-ning married Weng Fan, who was 28 at the time, when he was 82 [ae4e1beb]. These examples illustrate a long-standing cultural acceptance of older men marrying younger women, while the reverse remains less common.
The author of the piece encourages a broader acceptance of various relationship dynamics, emphasizing that love can transcend age differences. This perspective aligns with the evolving views on relationships in modern society, where age is increasingly seen as just a number [ae4e1beb].