Marriage in China
Encyclopedia
Marriage in the People's Republic of China has undergone change during the country's reform and opening period. Divorce
used to be rare in China, but the number of failed marriages has doubled in the last decade.
: 闪婚; pinyin: shǎnhūn), or blitz marriage, is the English
translation of a Chinese term that originated in the early 21st century
to describe a marriage
between partners who wed after knowing one another for less than 7 months.
The phenomenon first appeared among modern young couples in China's large cities, where the financial burdens of keeping up a long-term relationship before marriage have proven too expensive for many couples. The soaring prices of immovable property
in these cities have made such speedy marriages more economical.
The term shanhun is associated today mainly with the post-80s and post-90s generations in China. Members of such generations are considered to be less conservative and possibly more impulsive when it comes to love
. Whereas in the past (or in more traditional environments), marriage was a serious step, decided upon through parents' permission while considering some materialistic benefits, today some young Chinese, particularly middle class
members, allow themselves to drift by the spell of romance and passion and get married at once. The term 'flash marriage' can, in fact, describe the speed in which a couple moves from dating to marriage, or the short lifespam of the marriage itself, which inevitably leads to a quick divorce.
Shanhun is affected not only by social-value changes that lead to a rebellious attitude towards tradition, but also by the idea of 'romantic love', that has penetrated to China in recent decades from the West
. The idea of mythic love and soul mates has become much more widespread in recent decades, through the exposure to foreign films, magazines, etc, and later on through new elements in the Chinese culture itself. Such ideas, combining with some behavior shifts in the young generation (which most Chinese regards as 'recklessness'), often lead to 'flash marriage'.
Flash marriage is also a response to difficulties in establishing a proper marriage foundation in modern China. As many people find it impossible to purchase a house and are experiencing career
difficulties, possessing a solid material foundation for a family can seem impossible for some couples. In such cases, some lovers choose to settle for a good emotional foundation. The term luohun ('naked marriage') refers to couples who get married before owning any significant assets, and along with shanhun is a symbol for the changing trends in marriage behaviors in China. While both phenomena are criticized by many Chinese, luohun is still considered more acceptable, as couples sometimes cannot wait forever before starting a family. Shanhun, on the other hand, is a result of an impulsive behavior, associated with high divorce rates, and thus is strongly condemned for demonstrating negative values.
There are three types of shanhun marriages often discussed by the Chinese media:
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
used to be rare in China, but the number of failed marriages has doubled in the last decade.
Flash marriage
Flash marriage (ChineseChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 闪婚; pinyin: shǎnhūn), or blitz marriage, is the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation of a Chinese term that originated in the early 21st century
21st century
The 21st century is the current century of the Anno Domini era or the Common Era in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. The century began on January 1, 2001 and will end on December 31, 2100. The years from 2001 to 2010 are historical; the years from 2011 to 2100 are subject to futurology and...
to describe a marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
between partners who wed after knowing one another for less than 7 months.
The phenomenon first appeared among modern young couples in China's large cities, where the financial burdens of keeping up a long-term relationship before marriage have proven too expensive for many couples. The soaring prices of immovable property
Immovable property
Immovable property is an immovable object, an item of property that cannot be moved without destroying or altering it - property that is fixed to the Earth, such as land or a house. In the United States it is also commercially and legally known as real estate and in Britain as property...
in these cities have made such speedy marriages more economical.
The term shanhun is associated today mainly with the post-80s and post-90s generations in China. Members of such generations are considered to be less conservative and possibly more impulsive when it comes to love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
. Whereas in the past (or in more traditional environments), marriage was a serious step, decided upon through parents' permission while considering some materialistic benefits, today some young Chinese, particularly middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
members, allow themselves to drift by the spell of romance and passion and get married at once. The term 'flash marriage' can, in fact, describe the speed in which a couple moves from dating to marriage, or the short lifespam of the marriage itself, which inevitably leads to a quick divorce.
Shanhun is affected not only by social-value changes that lead to a rebellious attitude towards tradition, but also by the idea of 'romantic love', that has penetrated to China in recent decades from the West
The West
The West is a generic term referring to the Western world, or Western culture or civilization derived from European origin.It can also mean:* The Western United States* Western Australia* Western Canada* Canada West* The West Australian, a newspaper...
. The idea of mythic love and soul mates has become much more widespread in recent decades, through the exposure to foreign films, magazines, etc, and later on through new elements in the Chinese culture itself. Such ideas, combining with some behavior shifts in the young generation (which most Chinese regards as 'recklessness'), often lead to 'flash marriage'.
Flash marriage is also a response to difficulties in establishing a proper marriage foundation in modern China. As many people find it impossible to purchase a house and are experiencing career
Career
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
difficulties, possessing a solid material foundation for a family can seem impossible for some couples. In such cases, some lovers choose to settle for a good emotional foundation. The term luohun ('naked marriage') refers to couples who get married before owning any significant assets, and along with shanhun is a symbol for the changing trends in marriage behaviors in China. While both phenomena are criticized by many Chinese, luohun is still considered more acceptable, as couples sometimes cannot wait forever before starting a family. Shanhun, on the other hand, is a result of an impulsive behavior, associated with high divorce rates, and thus is strongly condemned for demonstrating negative values.
There are three types of shanhun marriages often discussed by the Chinese media:
- an impulsive romantic relationship, in which youngsters cannot restrain their excitement and choose to get married at once;
- "hollow heart" (xinli kongxu xing), wheare a recent breakup or emotional pain leads lovers to institutionalize their relationship impatiently (an exaggerated version of 'rebound')
- marriages that aren't based on romantic emotions, but are rather a result of mutual interests (liyi supei xing), such as the desire to leave one's parents' house, or settling for a good financial arrangement.
External links
- White-collar workers interested in 'flash marriage' chinadaily.com.cn 2005-11-16
- "Flash marriage" stirs public debate
Further reading
- Alford, William P.William P. AlfordWilliam P. Alford is a US legal scholar. He is currently Henry L. Stimson Professor of Law and Vice Dean for the Graduate Program and International Legal Studies at Harvard Law School...
, "Have You Eaten, Have You Divorced? Debating the Meaning of Freedom in Marriage in China", in Realms of Freedom in Modern China (William C. Kirby ed., Stanford University Press, 2004).
See also
- Women in the People's Republic of ChinaWomen in the People's Republic of ChinaSince 1949, the government of People's Republic of China has actively promoted the social, economic and political roles of women in society. While advancing progress in promoting equality among men and women, the efforts met resistance in a traditionally Neo-Confucian society of male...
- Ghost marriage (Chinese)
- Walking marriageWalking marriageWalking marriage is a widely-used misnomer for the sort of romantic and sexual relationships embedded in the culture of, for example, the Jaintia sub-tribe of the Khasi people of Meghalaya in north-east India and the Mosuo ethnic minority of China. The Mosuo call it tisese, which translates...
- HeqinHeqinHeqin was a term used in ancient China for an alliance by marriage. It usually referred to the Chinese Emperor marrying off a "princess" to an aggressive "barbarian" chieftain or ruler. The theory was that in exchange for the marriage, the chieftain would cease all aggressive actions toward China...
- Shim-pua marriageShim-pua marriageTongyangxi , also known as Shim-pua marriage in Taiwanese , was a tradition of arranged marriage dating back to pre-modern China, in which a poor family would sell a child, a pre-adolescent daughter to a richer family as a servant or a caretaker. In exchange, the girl would be married into the...
- Gender equalityGender equalityGender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
- Gender inequalityGender inequalityGender inequality refers to disparity between individuals due to gender. Gender is constructed both socially through social interactions as well as biologically through chromosomes, brain structure, and hormonal differences. Gender systems are often dichotomous and hierarchical; binary gender...
- UrbanUrban society in the People's Republic of ChinaThere is considerable confusion in both Chinese and foreign sources over definitions of urban places and hence considerable variation in estimates of China's urban population ....
and Rural society in the People's Republic of China - Women in ancient ChinaWomen in ancient ChinaTraditional Chinese society has been male-centered. Sons were preferred to daughters, and women were expected to be subordinate to fathers, husbands, and sons. Far fewer women were educated than men, and many of their readings consist of book such as Nü Xun and Lienü zhuan , which instruct them...
- Women's healthcare in the People's Republic of China
- Feminism in China
- Impact of globalization on women in China
- Globalization and women in ChinaGlobalization and women in ChinaThe study of the impact of globalization on women in China examines the role and status of Chinese women relative to the political and cultural changes that have taken place in the 20th century as a consequence of globalization...