Topic 1 独生子女政策如何改变了中式婚礼 Economists.docVIP

How the one-child policy changed Chinese nuptials独生子女政策如何改变了中式婚礼 OVERSIZE cupids in pink, furry outfits hand out heart-shaped balloons with “I Do” written on them (in English) at a wedding-themed trade fair in Beijing. Vendors offer romantic photo-shoots of couples under water or at a racetrack, personalised wedding cigarettes, and biscuits with names such as “Date Fate”. An emphasis on love is a new addition to Chinese weddings—and shines a pink-filtered spotlight on social change. For centuries, marriage in China was about ensuring heirs for the grooms family. Ceremonies centred on the grooms kin: couples kowtowed to the mans parents but the womans relatives were absent. Unusually, both the grooms and the brides family exchanged money or goods. The more money changed hands, the more opulent the wedding. After it came to power in 1949, the Communist Party imposed frugality. Dowries consisted of necessities like bed linen or a bicycle; guests brought their own food coupons. But since the 1980s the extravagance of nuptials has matched the countrys rise. Celebrations moved out of homes into hotels. Brides swapped traditional red dresses for white, flouncy meringue-like ones (some now wear both, in sequence). A large industry has emerged to serve the 13m couples who marry each year. Wedding planners are increasingly common, particularly in cities. A decade ago Cosmo Bride, an American-owned lifestyle magazine, launched a Chinese-language edition in China. An average wedding cost $12,000 in 2011 (the latest year for which such data exist)—the equivalent of more than two years income for the average urban household. An increase in the average marriage age by 2.5 years since 1990 has given parents (who still usually pay for weddings, despite the earning power of their children) more time to save up. The change in wedding frippery also reflects a fundamental shift in society. For the first time in the history of Chinese family life, the child—rather than ancestors or par