Marriages in China

Many different countries celebrate marriages different ways. In the US, the bride wears a white gown, and the groom wears a tuxedo. In countries like China, the bride wears a brightly colored dress. From ancient times marriage has been regulated by law and religious practice. China has a very interesting marriage celebration.

In the 19th century, A wedding represented the transfer of a woman’s dependence on money from her family to her new husband. There was also a transfer of the woman's property, called a dowry, from the bride’s father to her husband. This transfer of property was made if the marriage was voluntary or an arranged marriage where the woman's consent was not asked for.

Most times in the 19th century, when a couple got married, it was arranged by the parents, and the couple had no say in it. In the 20th century, things changed for the better. China proclaimed a marriage code giving spouses equal rights in the control of property in 1950. Laws of most countries require the husband to support his wife and children. With the increase in the number of women working outside the home, the women sometimes support themselves and child support has fallen upon her nearly as much as her husband.

Couples now choose their own partners, but must get the consent of their parents. As a wedding give, it is customary for the parents to buy appliances for the couple’s new home. They have a simple ceremony, and the date is chosen by the parents.

A popular date for weddings in China is the seventh day of the seventh moon. They say that a fairy from heaven can bless their marriage on that day.