In China, it is a common custom for men to negotiate the “bride price” with the bride’s family before marriage and pay off the dowry first,
In the case of a man from Zhejiang province in eastern China, this bride price amounted to a staggering 9.98 million yuan (equivalent to approximately S$1.9 million) in cash, as well as gold bars and luxury watches. To fulfill this customary obligation, the man arranged for an armored truck to transport the payment to his bride-to-be’s residence on Tuesday.
A circulating online video showcased the dowry being securely transferred in six vibrantly colored safes, symbolizing good fortune, by four professional escorts. The cash component was subsequently deposited into the bride-to-be’s bank account after being delivered to the engagement venue.
A photograph of the safes’ contents revealed stacks of cash, gold, and various items of jewelry neatly arranged on a table.
According to the Global Times, the exorbitant bride price, known as “cai li” in China, elicited both envy and criticism from online commentators. However, the groom-to-be sought to downplay the extravagant display by stating, “This is a local custom and it is quite common in Taizhou,” referring to the city in Zhejiang where he and his fiancée reside. He further mentioned that they plan to tie the knot by the end of 2023.
Despite recent efforts by the Chinese government to curb the practice of exorbitant bride prices, the trend of costly marriages in China shows no signs of diminishing. In January, Jiangxi province in southeastern China gained attention for topping a ranking by Xinhua with an average bride price of 380,000 yuan, excluding additional expected contributions such as a car and a house.
In February, a significant Chinese policy document for 2023 outlined the country’s intentions to address sky-high bride prices and extravagant wedding ceremonies. This initiative coincided with China experiencing its first population decline since 1961.
Nevertheless, as demonstrated by Mr. Yan’s armored cash truck in Zhejiang, this longstanding costly custom dating back to the Han Dynasty millennia ago is unlikely to be completely abandoned overnight.
@webossx #新人 #訂婚 押鈔車運送998萬現金彩禮到場 ，準新郎：這在當地很常見 #浙江 ♬ 原声 – We