The nonprofit program, carried out under the auspices of the ministry, was launched in Shanghai on March 6. It aims to provide a greater number of highly skilled professional councilors and psychologists to work as "marriage doctors and nurses" to enhance the work of improving relationships and maintaining social stability.

The first batch of 300 counselors will work in businesses and communities and with families in crisis, providing advice to 100,000 couples.

Two websites, jiahegongcheng and weiqing120, along with a 24-hour hotline (4008-120-089), are available to help those in need. If a marriage cannot be repaired, the "marital medics" will also provide services to protect the legal rights of the divorcing couple.

The hotline receives more than 1,000 calls a day, of which 70 percent concern extramarital affairs.

"Marriage doctors and nurses are psychologists and marriage counselors who are keen to help marriages on the brink of failure. They volunteer to teach people how to maintain their marriage and keep it healthy and happy," said Shu.

"No amount of career success can replace the success of a good marriage, because career success only accompanies you for a certain time but your marriage can be with you for your entire life. I have seen so many people who drive luxury cars and own large enterprises and property, but without a happy marriage, even their careers are affected negatively. The project is meaningful and practical in solving real problems. An old Chinese proverb says 'A harmonious family can lead to success in everything'. I hope the project can be promoted nationwide, because it can be one of the most effective ways of stabilizing society," said Chen.

"The reasons for marital breakdown are becoming increasingly complicated and that's leading to rising demand for the expertise of the marriage doctors and nurses. Although most of the counselors are highly qualified as psychologists and marriage counselors, more training should be available," said Wei Mingzhen, founder of the first marriage hospital in Hubei province and deputy director of the China Marriage and Family Counseling Center.

Some names in this article have been changed to protect confidentiality.

Contact the writer at hena@chinadaily.com.cn.

Jiang Xueqing and Peng Yining contributed to this story.