By continuing you agree to eChinacities's Privacy Policy .
Sign up with Google
Sign up with Facebook
Q: How do normal Chinese men afford to pay dowries?
I was told by a Chinese friend of mine that most dowries in her hometown were, at minimum, 20k RMB, going sometimes all the way to 100k.
Primitive traditions aside, how in the world does a normal Chinese guy, stuck on a 4-10k salary afford this? Does the future wife help him pay his own dowry? Does his family help? It just seems so unrealistic to the economic reality in China.
Good question. I regularly wonder how so many locals here can afford Audi's and Benz's and Range Rovers and BMW's and..........you know what I mean.
I agree with Derek...
I also will say, most young folks of the marrying age I know around here are making jack for a salary (3-5k rmb/month). Yet these same kids are driving cars, and can afford other "luxuries". The money is usually coming from their family. I think this is pretty typical amongst locals in most east coast cities, obviously doesn't apply to the 外地人 in those same cities.
Families, especially with the 1 child policy will save their whole lives to afford to send their child to university, buy them a car and help them buy an apartment. If the family has a member in any government job, then their income in increased a great deal by 'grey' income.
A family will only ask for huge (or any) dowry for the following reasons:
1. The boyfriend is poor and they want their daughter to have a richer husband
2. The boyfriend is rich and this is a way of proving it.
3. The girls family is rich and they see this as small money/token amount.
4. They are greedy bastards using their daughter as a personal payday. (If this is the case, the guy should run as fast as he can since the demands/requests for money will never cease.)
Most of the time, the dowry (or most of it) will be given back in the form of a gift (apartment down payment, car, furnishings, etc...). If it isn't then see type #4.
Now, in contrast, in India it is tradition for the brides family to pay the dowry. Negotiations can go on for days between families to find the right price. (It has also been known to lead to bloody family fueds too.)
I was asked for 60,000, I'm not getting married tho. I wondered if that was the foreigner price as can't see a local coming up with that much.
