Although weddings remain an extremely big portion of Chinese culture, it's changed dramatically within the las decades. In the old days, marriages and weddings were worked out by families, following rules arranged by ancient traditions. According to some popular Chinese legend, couples destined to marry were considered to have invisible red strings, connecting them, tied around their ankles when they're young children. When they become older the strings gets shorter and shorter until it is time for them to finally meet. Ancient Chinese people thought that nothing could severe the strings. Not distance, changing circumstances or love. To them, marriage was considered to be destiny.
Throughout the Communist era, the wedding details were often determined by neighborhood councils and governmental units. Couples were often required to get permission from their employers before they could marry. Later in the 1950s new laws banned lots of the practices involving traditional marriages: multiple wives, child marriages, the sale of sons or daughters for marriage purposes, arranged marriages, minor marriage, bride-price, and concubinage. It was also during this period, that women received the legal right to divorce. Monogamy was strictly enforced. Adulterers were often treated harshly. In contemporary China, families have regained their control over the marriage situation, and in 2003 some rules were eased and laws were passed, which prevented couples from depending on their employers to get married.
Before, marriage was viewed as a family concern. Families united by marriage were expected to be of equivalent financial status, or the groom's family to be of somewhat higher status. This aspect of marriage patterns continues as the definitions of status have changed. Because inherited wealth has been eliminated as a significant factor, evaluation has moved to estimates of earning power and future prosperity. The most desirable husbands have been administrative cadres, party members, and employees of large state enterprises. Conversely, men from poor villages have had difficulty finding wives.
Many traditional ideas toward the family have survived without getting reviewed. In China, it is expected that everybody should marry, and marriage remains part of the definition of normal adult status. Even though this is slowly changing, marriage continues to be somewhat expected to be permanent. The tradition that marriage requires a woman to relocate into her husband's family and to turn into a daughter-in-law in addition to a wife is still largely accepted. The standard of patriarchal descent and the assumption that it's the son who bears the main responsibility for his aged parents remain. The Chinese government has devoted great effort to controlling the number of births and have aimed to limit the quantity of children per couple. Interesting enough, the authorities never have attempted to control population growth by suggesting that some people should not marry in any way.
For Westerners, marriage choices are typically determined by individual notions of affection or romance, or at least that is how we view it. However in most of China, marriage is, first and foremost, about family and community. It wasn' t until very recently that love actually plays a role in marriages in China. Asians overall have traditionally regarded marriages as a bonding of families as opposed to individuals. Individuals are not thought to be individual children of God but rather as members of a family.
Throughout the Communist era, the wedding details were often determined by neighborhood councils and governmental units. Couples were often required to get permission from their employers before they could marry. Later in the 1950s new laws banned lots of the practices involving traditional marriages: multiple wives, child marriages, the sale of sons or daughters for marriage purposes, arranged marriages, minor marriage, bride-price, and concubinage. It was also during this period, that women received the legal right to divorce. Monogamy was strictly enforced. Adulterers were often treated harshly. In contemporary China, families have regained their control over the marriage situation, and in 2003 some rules were eased and laws were passed, which prevented couples from depending on their employers to get married.
Before, marriage was viewed as a family concern. Families united by marriage were expected to be of equivalent financial status, or the groom's family to be of somewhat higher status. This aspect of marriage patterns continues as the definitions of status have changed. Because inherited wealth has been eliminated as a significant factor, evaluation has moved to estimates of earning power and future prosperity. The most desirable husbands have been administrative cadres, party members, and employees of large state enterprises. Conversely, men from poor villages have had difficulty finding wives.
Many traditional ideas toward the family have survived without getting reviewed. In China, it is expected that everybody should marry, and marriage remains part of the definition of normal adult status. Even though this is slowly changing, marriage continues to be somewhat expected to be permanent. The tradition that marriage requires a woman to relocate into her husband's family and to turn into a daughter-in-law in addition to a wife is still largely accepted. The standard of patriarchal descent and the assumption that it's the son who bears the main responsibility for his aged parents remain. The Chinese government has devoted great effort to controlling the number of births and have aimed to limit the quantity of children per couple. Interesting enough, the authorities never have attempted to control population growth by suggesting that some people should not marry in any way.
For Westerners, marriage choices are typically determined by individual notions of affection or romance, or at least that is how we view it. However in most of China, marriage is, first and foremost, about family and community. It wasn' t until very recently that love actually plays a role in marriages in China. Asians overall have traditionally regarded marriages as a bonding of families as opposed to individuals. Individuals are not thought to be individual children of God but rather as members of a family.
About the Author:
If you would like to know more about Chinese women or how to find a Chinese lady, don't forget to visit our blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment