More young Chinese, many of them women between the age of 25 and 35, are choosing to hide their marriages so that they can enjoy the career and social advantages of being single, according to a report from the Xinhua News Agency issued this month.

Young women in such "hidden marriages" are officially and legally married, but they pretend to be single and do not speak of their marriages, sometimes even to their best friends.

The actual number of women in these types of marriages is unknown, but the phenomenon is growing.

However, Shen, a sociologist in Jilin, said that hidden marriages are a dangerous game that can instigate a round of marriage crisis.

When the lie is discovered, it becomes a double-edged sword that can hurt both the liar and the deceived, Shen said.

"Hidden marriages should never be encouraged," said Kang, a housewife interviewed by Xinhua in Jilin who opposes such marriages because of its consequences. She asked, "Will your boss still trust you when he finds out that you lied to him?"