New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1929-01-28
MODERN Wedding
FAVORED IN China
Young People Regarding Old
HilriiSe System With Disdin

Picking. Jan. - (UP)-'Compan-
ionate marriages" which made their
first appearance In North China
about two years ego. have leaped
into sudden popularity during the
past few weeks. a. several young
couples Of considerable prominence
have adopted this method for living
together. The idea Is entirely new
In China, and obviously has been
imported from the west
The decline of the old Chinese
marriage system. which has been
gradual for many years past. IL now
making its final plunge with .
fierce rush. Go-betweens are almost
out Of business, and even marriages
for 'love." which were considered
radical = year or two ago. are too
conservative for the more ardent
young people.
In western countries, where mar
riages have been more or less infor-
NAL matters for generations. the
tremendous changes in China dur
Ing recent months, even weeks. can
not be appreciated. 1t has not been
customary in China for young peo-
pie to decide whom they shall mar
~ for themselves. This matter was
arranged entirely by their parents
and this has been true Of poor peo-
pie. ordinary workmen, rs we'll AZ
the children Of prominent families.
The professional go-between has
been a feature Of Chinese social
life, this being man or woman
who devoted much time to making
marriage matches. searching out
husbands for girls and wives for
boys. usually in return for a con-
siderable fee. In the larger cities,
this institution is disappearing very
rapidly.
But the very slow changes in the
marriage system which preceded
the rise Of the Kuomintang have
been replaced by dizzy revolution.
The Chinese marriage system is
now not only being altered. but 1t
is being shelved. In its place is ap-
pearing. not the conservative mar
riage system of the west, but the
most daring conceptions Of the
younger generation in America and
Europe.
This correspondent talked recent
ly with young Chinese woman,
perhaps thirty years of age. Il am
an old fossil in China of today" she
admitted. Il have heard that flap
pers' in America often shock the
older women. But our Chinese
'flappers' shock women of twenty
five"
The system Of marriage which is
becoming most popular. apparently.
is that of simple announcement in
the newspapers. This announce
ment. signed by the young men and
young woman, is considered :uffi-
cient. 1t merely states that these
two people love each other and
therefore have decided to be mar
ried. There is no ceremony, no
gifts, no consultation of relatives, no
licenses. The newspaper announce
ment is sufficient.
Until very recently. marriages
were one Of the chief expenses of
Chinese social life. Even poor fam
lilies spent what they considered for
tunes. The Kuomintang National
list part!-) has urged repeatedly that
marriage and funeral expenses be
reduced. This advice has been &C.
cepted SO whole-heartedly by the
more advanced young people that
their marriages cost almost nothing.
In the rural districts, however,
this fermcnt is working slowly.
Students carry the new ideas back
from Peping and other university
centers, but the older people are
Mortified. These conservatives still
insist upon arranging their chill
dren's marriages.