In counties across Gansu province, northwestern China, local governments are rolling out a range of initiatives to curb excessive wedding customs — taking particular aim at exorbitant bride prices in the hope of boosting marriage figures.

The efforts echo a broader provincial campaign to promote simpler, more reasonable marital traditions. In early May, the Gansu provincial government released a detailed work plan targeting what it sees as entrenched issues relating to high bride prices, competition for spouses, and extravagant weddings in rural areas.

The plan sets a clear timeline: to curb the spread of these “outdated” trends by the end of 2025 and significantly reduce bride prices by the end of 2026. To do so, it has mandated that county-level administrations develop local bride price guidelines based on rural residents’ per capita disposable income, while actively encouraging “zero-or-low bride price” marriages.

Various schemes are also being promoted to educate residents and improve grassroots understanding. According to local outlet Lanzhou Daily, at the entrance of Manshui Village in Minle Township, a plaque reads, “Resist high bride prices, advocate new civilized trends,” and lists standardized guidelines for weddings. The recommendations included a bride price cap of 60,000 yuan ($8,345), a limit of four wedding cars, no more than 10 banquet tables, and gift money not exceeding 100 yuan.

Specific efforts on the ground include authorized “marriage customs mediators” to help negotiate bride prices; “future mother-in-law forums” to educate matriarchs on rational expectations; and local “marriage councils” to oversee local customs.

In Zhang County, Dingxi City, the initiative is starting to yield visible results, with over 400 families reported to have opted for a “zero-or-low bride price” approach. Meanwhile, in Qingshui County, where competition over bride prices and extravagant wedding customs was previously rife, bride prices have fallen by an average of 50,000 yuan.

Bride prices, a longtime tradition in Chinese culture, are traditionally seen as compensation for raising a daughter and entrusting them to the husband’s family. In some areas, slower economic development and weak social security mean these gifts help to financially support the bride’s family, including subsidizing their pensions.

China’s ongoing gender imbalance in the marriage market has also made women scarcer, pushing the cost of betrothal gifts ever higher. Data from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences showed that in 2020, China was home to 13.7 million unmarried individuals aged 35 to 49 — of whom 10.08 million were men versus only 3.63 million women.

Family competition and societal pressure to marry by a certain age have further fueled a rise in increasingly lavish gifts. This is especially true in Gansu province, where 2018 research shows that average bride prices had reached 44,100 yuan, making up more than half (52.88%) of total wedding costs.

In some counties of Shandong, Henan, and Gansu provinces, a popular saying — “10,000 purples, 1,000 reds, and a patch of green” — indicates the 5 yuan, 100 yuan, and 50 yuan notes required as part of the husband’s betrothal, amounting to more than 150,000 yuan in total, according to Xinhua.

Chen Bi, associate professor at the School of Criminal Justice, China University of Political Science and Law, highlights how simply setting limits is unlikely to solve the problem of high bride prices.

“Moral education and promoting values take time and cannot be fixed overnight with just regulations,” Chen told domestic media. “To address high bride prices, improving rural social security, and encouraging people to make smarter choices matters a lot. It’s also important to watch out for grassroots governments that might go too far or act improperly while trying to meet their targets.”

Editor: Tom Arnstein.

(Header image: VCG)