The marriage certificate is printed with peonies. Peony flower is the national flower of China, representing auspiciousness, with the meanings of prosperity, wealth, harmony, and happiness. Printed on the marriage certificate, it expresses blessings for the newlyweds' married life, symbolizing the harmony and happiness of their marriage.
History of Marriage Certificate Development
1. A marriage certificate is a legal document issued by the marriage registration management authority to prove the valid establishment of a marriage relationship. There are two original copies, with each party holding one copy. The style is uniformly formulated by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, printed by the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government, and stamped by the people's governments of counties, municipal districts, or cities without districts. The marriage certificate must be affixed with photos of both the man and the woman, and stamped with a special steel seal for marriage registration. If the marriage certificate is lost, you can apply for a replacement at the Civil Affairs Bureau.
2. After the founding of China, marriage certificates have become compact in size. The marriage certificate of 1950 only had two palm sized thin paper pieces, without any fancy patterns except for the name, place of origin, signature, age of the married person, and the witness's signature.
3. China will use a new type of marriage registration certificate from January 1, 2004. The covers of the new marriage certificate and divorce certificate are both date red. The old marriage registration certificate can continue to be used until June 30, 2004. Starting from July 1, 2004, all marriage registration agencies in China will no longer use old certificates.