The Chinese system is made in a way that ensures you NEED the parent's consent for this decision... among other decisions, by the way, but getting married is probably the only one that will ever concern you directly.

Oh, yes, it's not written in the law, but they just make sure you need the household registration booklet, the Hukou that the parents are supposed to keep, for anything important.

Personnaly, I would refuse categorically any kind of ransom in exchange for that piece of paper, under any kind of pretext. Insistance on that point, for me, would say enough about the family so I don't consider marriage anymore.

its hard to believe but its true that when i went to chinese embassy in my country to authenticate my single certificate that dumb head officer of the embassy told me to bring the chinese gal parent's consent if it was for the marriage purpose but lucky me it wasnt for marrige

my deepest condolences for you loss of singleness, the ball and chain and holy deadlock could leave you penniless after working for wife, children, and families till the grim reaper takes you, but think about all those good intentions in your afterlife.

I am marry Chinese girl (woman!) for more than 10 years: There are no special "rules" today, and though there are many traditionals that still put their parents first, many many of them are quite modern, and have no problem with foreign husband. I had way out tooo many "almost success" stories, which most of them it was me rejected her after all, even her parents already accepted me. 

Let me tell you, that I sounds crazy man, poor with no income, how come can be so "rude"? No, I am not "crazy" and not "rude", but going into marriage you should bear in mind many things that may happen AFTER: 

Many of them are not treating "love" the same way as westerner. Please be prepared for quite "coldness". 

If you look for traditional one, they tend to be lazy, so you should do everything at home, and she will play with the phone (yes, this is the big problem of this generation with the tik-tok). Then you need to give her 75% of your money, or she will assume you don't love her.... You guess in the moment I faced this, I simply rejected... 

My current wife is also "traditional" but her parents accepted me (with income of merely 12k/month without owning a house - ok, she is a village girl) we both working in the same factory which makes the things more complicated - 

Summary:

1) Marry a Chinese woman may be very good relation, once she with you, she will not easy leave you (it is not true that they are easy to divorce, unless the husband or parents really wants it, need to be really an issue)

2) They are mainly (almost all) with "feets on the ground" (forget about "flying" with them!) good for family and kids (so you easily can have 2 kids or more)

3) After all, the relation is all depend on you: They are mainly also easy going, and if you are good, she and her parents with all her relatives will be good to you too:)