"To organize a marriage, it is really necessary to pay or accept the bride price and gift money according to the traditional customs. The standards of the bride price and the types and standards of the gift money shall comply with the relevant provisions of the village rules and regulations (residents’ convention). Consciously resist the following behaviors: asking for high bride price and gift money or using bride price and gift money to interfere with freedom of marriage; Paying or accepting excessive bride price or gift money; High-priced compensation for divorce (destruction); Damage the legitimate rights and interests of others by marriage; Use marriage to collect money … …”
On April 6, the Red Star journalist learned from the relevant departments of Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province that on March 31, it was deliberated and passed at the 34th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th People’s Congress of Sichuan Province.Regulations of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture on Changing Customs and Habits, which clearly stipulates the control of bad habits such as "high bride price".From May 1 this year, the regulations will be officially implemented. It is also the first case in Sichuan to raise the work of changing customs to the level of laws and regulations.
However, behind the promulgation of this regulation, it has been "brewing" for four years. In the face of bad habits such as "high bride price" in some local places, many people suffer greatly. In an interview with the Red Star journalist, Han Galapo, chairman of the Ethnic and Religious Affairs and Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee of the People’s Congress of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, said, "We formed a research team to go deep into 17 counties (cities) in Liangshan. At that time, some people reported that it was a big economic burden for families to give a bride price of 200,000 yuan in rural areas. Whether it is a forum or a home visit, the research group is welcomed by people from all walks of life. We received a total of 341 opinions and suggestions, of which 156 were adopted. It took four years from the motion to the promulgation of the Ordinance … …”
Phenomenon — —
Netizens reported that they were burdened with "high bride price"
Many places in Liangshan Prefecture have introduced policy rectification.
In recent years, influenced by old ideas and bad social customs, some local wedding activities have some bad habits, such as high bride price, blind comparison and debt marriage, which have aroused widespread concern and heated discussion in society, not only increasing the burden on families, but also affecting social harmony. Many places therefore give special treatment to the high bride price.
In recent years, "high bride price" has also appeared in some places in Liangshan, and local cadres and masses have strongly reflected it.
On February 5 this year, a student in Yuexi County, Liangshan wrote to the governor through the message board of local leaders of People’s Daily Online, reflecting the issue of bride price. He wrote in the letter: "The bride price of my three brothers is more than one million. My parents are worried that we can’t get a wife, so let us drop out of school and go out to work early, hoping that the leaders can rectify it. We ordinary people all hope that the government will take action to resist this kind of comparison. "
In this regard, the Propaganda Department of Yuexi County Committee of Liangshan Prefecture replied that the problem of high-priced bride price reflected by this netizen did exist in some towns and villages after investigation. In recent years, Yuexi County attached great importance to it and issued a series of related documents to rectify it. For example, the "Implementation Opinions of Yuexi County on Further Curbing the Wind of High Gift Money and Extravagance and Waste in Wedding and Funeral Matters (Trial)" was formulated and issued, which stipulated that the total number of wedding bride price should be appropriate to the net income of farmers, extravagance and waste should be prohibited, and the annual decline and zero bride price should be advocated in an orderly manner. Guide villages to revise and improve village rules and regulations, and advocate new marriages and happy events. Expose the bad phenomena such as high bride price, lavish handling, extravagance and waste, feudal superstition, and comparison with gifts.
On February 10 this year, a netizen in Zhaojue County, Liangshan Prefecture wrote a message on People’s Daily that the bride price was too heavy. He wrote: "The bride price in our county is too heavy, which makes the burden on boys’ parents too heavy. There are 500,000 yuan for work and 300,000 to 500,000 yuan for no job … … Many girls don’t marry love, but marry bride price, so husband and wife can’t live in harmony. I hope to rectify the atmosphere so that more people can decompress, more people can marry people they like, and more people marry people they like. "
↑ Screenshot of netizens reflecting high-priced bride price issues.
On February 23, Zhaojue County of Liangshan Prefecture issued a reply saying that Zhaojue County continued to carry out the work of changing customs and traditions, and although it has achieved certain results, there are still stereotypes and bad habits of high bride price and mutual comparison in some places. In order to promote the work of changing customs and promoting a new style of civilization, in January 2022, the relevant requirements of changing customs and traditions in Zhaojue County were initially drafted; In February, the "Zhaojue County’s Implementation Plan for Further Deepening the Promotion of Civilized New Style (Draft for Comment)" was further refined and drafted, and comments and suggestions were issued; A formal document was formed in mid-March, and the overall work of changing customs and traditions was fully launched.
"Legislation" — —
Consciously resist asking for high bride price, etc
Standards should comply with village rules and regulations.
In the face of bad habits such as "high bride price", Liangshan legislation said "no". On April 6, the Red Star journalist learned from relevant departments in Liangshan that on March 31, the 34th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th People’s Congress of Sichuan Province deliberated and passed the Regulations on Changing Customs in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations). Recently, the regulations were announced by the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture and will be officially implemented on May 1.
The Red Star journalist noted that in the code of conduct in Chapter II of the above Regulations, it is clear that laws and regulations related to marriage should be observed and the marriage system should be strictly implemented. Abide by the following code of conduct: "register marriage according to law and resist invalid marriage;" Parents or other guardians shall not allow or force minors to get married or enter into an engagement for minors. "
The "Regulations" clearly stipulate that wedding bride price, gift money and gifts are limited to human courtesy, and state public officials shall implement them according to relevant regulations; Consciously resist high bride price and luxury wedding; Resist such unhealthy practices as extravagance, extravagance, comparison, and vulgar marriage; Support and encourage village (neighborhood) committees and community organizations to provide marriage and love services, and publicize and guide the boycott of high-priced bride price and luxury weddings.
It is also pointed out that according to the traditional custom, it is really necessary to pay or accept the bride price and gift money when organizing a marriage. The standards of the bride price and the types and standards of the gift money should abide by the village rules and regulations (residents’ convention) and other relevant provisions.Consciously resist the following behaviors:Asking for high bride price and gift money or interfering with freedom of marriage by using bride price and gift money; Paying or accepting excessive bride price or gift money; High-priced compensation for divorce (destruction); Damage the legitimate rights and interests of others by marriage; Use marriage to collect money; Other acts of collecting money prohibited by laws and regulations.
The "Regulations" clearly stipulate that county (city) people’s governments and township people’s governments (street offices) should guide and promote the content of changing customs into village regulations (residents’ conventions), owners’ conventions and articles of association of trade associations. State officials, village groups and community cadres should play an exemplary role in changing customs.
The "Regulations" also clarified the legal liability. If there are provisions on the liability for acts in violation of the provisions of this Ordinance, those provisions shall prevail. Administrative organs, institutions and their staff abuse their powers, neglect their duties, engage in malpractices for selfish ends in the work of changing customs, and the relevant departments shall order them to make corrections within a time limit; If the circumstances are serious, the directly responsible person in charge and other directly responsible personnel shall be dealt with according to law; If a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility shall be investigated according to law.
Behind — —
It took four years before and after the promulgation of the regulations.
In-depth investigation in 17 counties and cities adopted 156 opinions and suggestions.
The Red Star journalist learned that in recent years, in order to curb the stereotypes such as high bride price, big weddings and funerals, and thin and thick funerals, Liangshan Prefecture has further promoted the change of customs and achieved initial results, and accumulated some mature and effective experiences and practices. In 2017, the Standing Committee of Liangshan Prefecture People’s Congress incorporated the Regulations on Changing Customs in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture into the five-year legislative plan of the 11th National People’s Congress.
Han Yulapo, chairman of the Ethnic, Religious and Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee of the People’s Congress of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, said, "In order to summarize and refine these good experiences and practices, raise them to legal provisions, and promote the change of customs by the rule of law, in 2019, the Standing Committee of the State People’s Congress began a comprehensive and in-depth legislative investigation. At the end of 2020, the "Regulations (Draft Draft)" was drafted, and the State Party Committee established a leading group for the formulation of the "Regulations". The formulation of the "Regulations" was included in the 2021 legislative plan of the Standing Committee of the State People’s Congress and was finally promulgated this year. "
"We formed a research team and went deep into 17 counties (cities) in Liangshan. At that time, some people reported that it was a big economic burden for families to give a bride price of 200,000 yuan to marry a daughter-in-law in rural areas. Whether it is a forum or a home visit, the research group has been welcomed by people from all walks of life. We received a total of 341 opinions and suggestions, of which 156 were adopted. It took four years from the motion to the promulgation of the Ordinance. " Hangalapo believes that the implementation of this regulation is very necessary.
From May 1st this year, the "Regulations" will be officially implemented, which indicates that the work of changing customs in Liangshan Prefecture has been guaranteed by the rule of law. It is reported that it is the first case in Sichuan province to raise the work of changing customs to the level of laws and regulations.
On March 18th this year, the symposium on comprehensive management of high-priced bride price in Yi areas of Liangshan Prefecture was held in Xichang City, Liangshan Prefecture. The meeting arranged and deployed the comprehensive management of high-priced bride price in Yi areas of Liangshan Prefecture, clarified the division of tasks and established a collaborative mechanism. The Supervision Committee of the Sichuan Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection will take the comprehensive management of high-priced bride price as the key supervision content, adhere to the principle of "sticking one pole in the end", follow up and urge the whole process, and timely discover and urge the solution of outstanding problems.
Red Star Journalist Jiang Long