The bride price, an indispensable part of marriage customs since ancient times, has now become an obstacle for many young people to enter the marriage hall. Especially in recent years, the level of bride price has continued to rise, accompanied by a continuous decline in the quality of marriage. Behind the seemingly contradictory phenomenon, there are actually many social, economic and even legal factors.
From a legal point of view, the bride price is essentially a product of marital customs, but it should never be a tool for marriage transactions. However, in reality, in many places, the bride price has been quantified by money, and has even become a yardstick to measure the value of marriage. This not only goes against the original intention of the marriage, but also brings unnecessary financial pressure to both families.
There is a stark contrast between the high bride price and the declining quality of marriage. The bride price, once seen as compensation from the man to the woman's family, is increasingly seen as a dispossession of property by the woman to the man. This kind of change not only has an impact on marriage in concept, but also increases the burden of marriage on young people in practice.
The unbalanced development of traditional bride price culture and modern social economy is an important reason for the complication of the bride price issue. Influenced by traditional beliefs, many families still regard the bride price as a way to protect the interests of the woman's family, which to a certain extent promotes the rise of the bride price. Although economic and social development has increased per capita income, it has also exacerbated the gap between the rich and the poor, making the bride price problem more prominent.
For the woman's parents, the bride price is often a compensation for the cost of raising their daughter, and it is also a guarantee for the future family life. For the man, the high bride price is undoubtedly a huge financial pressure, and may even lead to family bankruptcy. This difference reflects the different effects of bride price on the families of both men and women.
The perceptions and requirements of bride price vary greatly from region to region and from family to family. In some areas, the bride price is so large that it is considered a local custom, while in others there is no bride price or the bride price is low. This difference not only reflects the difference in regional culture, but also reflects the different needs of families for bride price.
The rapid changes in society have made the marriage relationship more challenging and stressful. The pace of people's lives has accelerated, and the time for maintaining and operating marriages has decreased, resulting in a decrease in the stability of marital relationships.
The concept of marriage in modern society has changed, and people pay more attention to the quality of marriage and the happiness of individuals. Both parties in a marriage need more understanding and support than simple family responsibilities and material satisfaction.
Marriages that lack an emotional foundation and sense of responsibility can easily break down. When choosing a marriage, young people should pay more attention to the matching of each other's emotional foundation and values, as well as whether they are ready to face the challenges and responsibilities of marriage together.