An excellent, exhaustive video on proposing, romance and weddings in China. (Yes, there’s a brief reference to my book.) If you intend to propose in China you’ll find this especially useful. Weddings are very big business in China, with 13 million couples expected to get married in 2013, and they pump tens of billions of dollars into the Chinese economy, from wedding gifts, makeup, wedding attire, flowers, etc. Most interesting is just how traditional Chinese weddings remain, despite ever-growing Western influence.
Update: Although not exactly related, I thought I’d point readers to a new article about my book in the newspaper I used to work for, The Global Times. Full page with photos, including a comment by me about censorship in China.
1 By Xilin
Weddings are big business most places now. I think it takes away from what they should really be about. The global times article didn’t work and I searched for it on google but couldn’t access it. Can anyone else access it?
January 15, 2013 @ 12:19 pm | Comment
2 By Richard
Xilin, the GT link opened for me without a problem.
I think weddings in China are far more luxurious affairs than in the US. Sure, there are super-expensive weddings in the US, but also lots of low-key, private affairs. In China, even lower-class families spend a relatively big percentage of their savings on weddings, far more percentage-wise than in the West.
January 15, 2013 @ 12:23 pm | Comment
3 By Xilin
I agree, the cost of weddings in China can be proportionally a much larger burden. I know someone who spent one month of their salary on wedding cookies.
January 15, 2013 @ 1:05 pm | Comment