Don’t pay over 60,000 yuan for a bride, say Chinese officials
Limit of about US$8,600 should be set on “bride price” paid by grooms to partner’s families as cost of getting married soars in rural areas of China, county officials say
A county in northern China has recommended a limit on the amount of money men should pay the family of their bride to get married, according to a newspaper report.
Taiqian county in Henan province has issued guidelines saying grooms should pay no more than 60,000 yuan (HK$67,000) as a “bride price”, the Chinese tradition that a male partner offers money to his fiancée’s family to secure their marriage.
The move comes as the cost of the bride price has risen in rural areas of China in recent years, reflecting the relative shortage of girls born in some areas where boys are traditionally favoured, the Henan Business Daily reported.
The price rise also highlights the growing gap between rich and poor in China, the newspaper said. High bride prices mean grooms and their families lose much of their savings and sometimes have to borrow money at excessive interest rates, one official was quoted as saying.
“Many families fall into poverty as they could not afford the bride price,” the official said.