A county in East China's Jiangxi Province, previously criticized for its exorbitant bride prices, is intensifying efforts to shed outdated customs. The latest initiative offers incentives such as pre-option for children's enrollment, health check-up services, and shopping discounts for new couples who adhere to the "low or zero betrothal prices" proposal.
Chongyi county in Jiangxi recently introduced a courtesy services and measures to promote wedding customs reform, according to a news report by China Youth Daily on Sunday.
The county encourages bridegrooms-to-be to give brides-to-be money and gifts no more than 39,000 yuan ($5,418.08) when they get engaged.
The "bride price" is a traditional Chinese prerequisite for marriage. Giving a "bride price" as a betrothal gift has a long history in China as a goodwill gesture between the couple and their two families. However, the "bride price" has risen from a token amount to very high levels, particularly in poorer areas, and the nature of the traditional custom has changed a lot over the years.
In order to implement and popularize the trend of "low or zero bride prices," Chongyi county promised that those new couples with "reasonable betrothal gifts" can have their children enjoy the priority to choose schools within the county in the future.
Additionally, the couples are entitled to free visits to national tourist attractions within the county and a complimentary health check-up at public hospitals. They can also ride the public bus for free within the county urban area for one year.
Under equal conditions, individuals of those eligible couples are given priority for employment as civilized practice volunteers and other public welfare positions, enjoy an 8.8 percent discount on wedding banquets, priority access to subsidies for integrated irrigation policies for orchards, and discounts on bedding, wedding dresses, and wedding photography.
The incentive policies also include support for entrepreneurship, banquet discounts, shopping discounts, agricultural benefits, and 10 other aspects.
