POLS3620 - Marriage: POLS3620 - Marriage: West and EastWest and East

Europe VS ChinaEurope VS China

09009949 Hui Lok Ching Joey09009949 Hui Lok Ching Joey

09012001 Ng Man Fung Matthew09012001 Ng Man Fung Matthew

Origin Ancient Greece Ancient Rome Christian faith No specific ceremony before 16th

century in Europe Mutual consent, declaration of

intention to marry England and Wales started to require

formal ceremony of marriage Mostly monogamy

Chinese marriage became a custom between 402 and 221 BC

Have to follow the ideas of

Confucianism Rituals of Three Letters and Six

Etiquettes Mostly polygyny in practice

WestWest Traditional ChinaTraditional China

Meaning of “to get married”Meaning of “to get married”

Patriarchal society

1.

Monogamy in Christian regions

2.

3.

Monogamy since 1930 in China/1971 in HK

Matt NgMatt Ng

ProcedureProcedure

WestWest ProposalProposal Arranging the weddingArranging the wedding CeremonyCeremony

EastEast Three letters and six Three letters and six

etiquettesetiquettes Proposal Birthdates Matching Bride price Wedding gifts Arranging the wedding Wedding Ceremony

Matt NgMatt Ng

Marriage ProposalMarriage Proposal

Matt NgMatt Ng

WestWest

Matt NgMatt Ng

EastEast

Matt NgMatt Ng

Dressing and Fortune ColourDressing and Fortune Colour

WestWest EastEast

Matt NgMatt Ng

Wedding ProcedureWedding ProcedureEurope China

Nature of wedding procedure Simple Complex

Selection of luck day Not important Very important

Kneel and serve tea to parents Not necessary Necessary

Fortune colour White Red

Presiding By clericals Mostly by female matchmaker

Exchange of rings during the ceremony Necessary Not necessary

Honey moon May go travel Stay home and make babies

Meet before the wedding Not limited Could not see each other

Vow and kiss to finish the ceremony Yes No

Carry the brideBy carriage By sedan chair

Matt NgMatt Ng

DivorceDivorceWestWest

'no-fault' principle'no-fault' principle does not require a party to assert does not require a party to assert

fault on the part of their partnerfault on the part of their partner courts may still take into account courts may still take into account

the behavior of the parties when the behavior of the parties when dividing property, debts, dividing property, debts, evaluating custody and supportevaluating custody and support

at-fault divorceat-fault divorce "grounds" for divorce (popularly "grounds" for divorce (popularly

called "fault") was the only way called "fault") was the only way to terminate a marriageto terminate a marriage

Summary divorce, uncontested Summary divorce, uncontested divorce, mediated divorcedivorce, mediated divorce

Traditional ChinaTraditional China The wife lacks filial piety towards her parents-The wife lacks filial piety towards her parents-

in-law (in-law (不順舅姑不順舅姑 ). ). She fails to bear a son (She fails to bear a son ( 無子無子 ). ). She is vulgar or lewd/adulterous (She is vulgar or lewd/adulterous ( 淫淫 ). ). She is jealous (She is jealous ( 妒妒 ) objecting to her husband ) objecting to her husband

taking an additional wife or concubine. taking an additional wife or concubine. She has a vile disease (She has a vile disease ( 有惡疾有惡疾 ).). She is gossipy (She is gossipy ( 口多言口多言 ).). She commits theft (She commits theft ( 竊盜竊盜 ))

Contemporary ChinaContemporary China Women were permitted to divorce their

husbands under new Marriage Law

Matt NgMatt Ng

Shared features•Similarity

•Resources exchange•Mate gradient

West•Individual preference

East•Family expectation•Social-economic

•Physical

Shared expectation•Loyalty•Caring

West•Pursuit of Happiness

East•Stability of life•Long-lasting

•The linkage of two In-Law

Shared value•Beneficial to marriage-Attention from parent

-30% less chance of divorce/kid•Boys are more helpful than girls

West•Babies as the assets of marriage

•Continuality of Love•An constraint to divorce

East•Fertility as a traditional duty

•Baby boys for the clan•Responsible to his/her success

Reasons of Spousal conflictsReasons of Spousal conflicts

Shared features•Cover up in dating

•Change of role•U-shaped frequency

West•Difference in background

•Patient/ Tolerance •Young marriage

East•Children raising

•Economic situation•Housework

•Law-relationship•Violence

Shared features•Male: happier life

-Better career-Better sex life

•Betterment of life

WestWomen: Less satisfied

-Less attractive-Reality Vs Dream

Higher divorce rate (70% in USA)

EastWomen: Adaptation

-Influence of Society

As women’s status growing…

Which marriage style do you prefer?Which marriage style do you prefer?

The endThe end