In China, it has always been the custom for men and women to give dowries when entering into marriage contracts. On the one hand, it is used to express gratitude to the in laws, and on the other hand, it can also express one's determination to marry the woman. So, by 2024, how much dowry money do people usually give? Why do some places have high dowries and some places have low dowries?
1、 How much is the usual dowry for 2024
There is no clear amount of dowry money for marriage, which needs to be determined based on local dowry customs, personal economic situation, and the wishes of the bride.
1. Legal provisions on dowries
There is no regulation in China's current Marriage Law on the maximum amount of dowry for marriage. The Civil Code, which officially came into effect on January 1, 2021, does state that "arranged marriages, buying and selling marriages, and other acts that interfere with marital freedom are prohibited. It is also prohibited to solicit property through marriage." However, it does not prohibit the payment of appropriate amounts of dowries.
If the forced demand for a huge dowry is used as a condition for marriage, and then divorce without reason causes difficulties for the man's life, it is considered a violation of the Civil Code. It is truly illegal. (For a detailed interpretation of the Civil Code, please refer to this article: Abolition of the Marriage Law and New Provisions on Marriage Law in the Civil Code)
Therefore, dowries will continue to be popular in China to a large extent, but the amount of dowries given will gradually lean towards rationality.
2. List of dowries in various regions
According to the Survey of countrymen Bride Gifts in 2020 released by Tencent News Guyu Data on October 17, the national average amount of betrothal gifts in 2020 is 69000 yuan. Among them, Zhejiang (183000), Heilongjiang (152000), Fujian (131000), Jiangxi (112000), Inner Mongolia (110000), Shanxi (93000), Liaoning (90000), Guizhou (89000), Yunnan (85000), and Tianjin (77000) ranked among the top ten regions in China, becoming the top ten regions with the highest number of colorful gifts.
Chongqing (29000), Xinjiang (28000), Jilin (28000), and Hainan (11000) have an average dowry amount of less than 30000, making them the places with the lowest dowry in the country.
It is worth mentioning that Beijing and Shanghai, as the political and economic centers of the country, have dowry amounts of 63000 and 72000 respectively, which are basically at the national average level. It is not the case that the more developed the economy, the higher the dowry amount.
3. From the perspective of local customs
In regions such as Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Northeast China, such as Heilongjiang and Liaoning, the amount of dowries has remained high for a long time. It is common for dowries to cost tens to 200000 yuan, and there have even been news of "sky high dowries" ranging from 50 to 1 million yuan. The main reason is related to local dowries customs. The long-standing high dowries combined with a competitive mentality are like a snowball rolling bigger and bigger, gradually raising the price of dowries.
But many women with better economic conditions also pay relatively high dowries.
4. From the perspective of urban and rural development
The level of urban economic development and people's education are high, and many of them are only children. They do not attach great importance to the custom of high dowries, usually asking for auspicious numbers such as 31800/10001/10007 to celebrate. After marriage, they will also give dowries to the young couple to subsidize their family expenses.
However, in many rural areas, high dowries still exist, with dowries ranging from 100000 to 200000 yuan being common, mainly due to the serious preference for sons over daughters in rural areas. Generally, a family has more than one child. Only by marrying off their daughter with a high dowry can they afford to marry their son into a wife; Another reason is that there are too few unmarried women in rural areas, and many of them go out to work or marry into cities, which makes it difficult for many men to find wives.
2、 Lucky numbers for dowry money
1
Amidst a myriad of colors and shades of green:
2
Three pounds and three liang:
3
Not moving at all
4
Three golds and four silvers:
5
Pearl in the palm:
6
Two companies sent together:
7
Three families sent together
：
8
no danger of anything going wrong:
9
stand stable:
10
One in a million:
11
Thousands of miles to choose a wife:
12
Two Willingness:
13
Sending:
14
perfect:
3、 Pay attention to and pay attention to dowries
Generally speaking, the dowry should be arranged by a matchmaker, but in modern society, almost all relationships are free and there is no matchmaker as a bridge for communication between the two parties. Therefore, the dowry should be arranged by the parents of both parties themselves.
Please note that when discussing dowries, the seniority should be equal, and both parties should not directly tell their parents, as this would appear impolite. Before discussing dowries, it is best for newlyweds to first inquire about their parents' psychological expectations, then discuss a unified number, and then separately tell their parents about each other's expectations to be mentally prepared and avoid not being able to reach an agreement at first.
When discussing dowries, it is also necessary to master the following skills:
1. Proactively speak up and express sincerity
When discussing dowries with the parents of the bride, the groom must fully express his sincerity and gain the trust of the bride's parents. Parents all hope that their children will have a good life after marriage. Seeing your full sincerity, the amount of dowry is actually not so important at this time.
2. Explain the family situation
If the family conditions are average and you really can't afford the dowry money requested by the bride's parents, don't be afraid of face saving. Try to be honest with the other person's parents about your family situation and believe that they really like you, and this will not hinder your future happiness.
3. Follow the local customs of the female party
If you two are from the same place, then negotiate according to the local dowry price. If it is a long-distance marriage, when discussing the dowry, it is necessary to follow the local dowry situation of the bride before making a decision.
4. New united front
No matter what the parents of both parties say, the newlyweds need to first unite and discuss the dowry issue, striving for both of you to reach a consensus before working separately with your respective parents. Especially for the female party, don't let their parents say whatever is needed, which will put too much pressure on the male party.
4、 The significance of dowries
The dowry is a gesture of gratitude to the parents of the bride for raising her to adulthood and to the parents in law for raising a good daughter-in-law. It also represents the groom's attitude and sincerity towards marriage. Using the dowry to show the parents in law his determination to cherish and love their daughter for life can also be used to purchase clothing or jewelry for the bride and her family.
Overall, getting married is a joyous occasion, representing that you are starting a family as independent individuals. The meaning of marriage lies in a happy and fulfilling life after marriage, where couples respect each other as guests, take care of each other, and accompany each other. Instead of being built on money from the beginning, it is an incorrect custom and concept for women to always think of "selling their daughters" and men to be suffocated by high dowries. We need to keep up with the times.