China hospital joins nightclubs in offering marriage services to fight low wedding rates
Following temples and nightclubs, a Chinese bank and a hospital have recently begun offering marriage registration services, igniting discussions on the Chinese government’s commitment to promoting nuptials. In August, a branch of the Postal Savings Bank of China, located in the northern municipality of Tianjin, became the country’s first bank to provide marriage registration services. While…
A Chinese bank and a hospital have recently started offering marriage registration services, echoing trends seen at temples and nightclubs. The Postal Savings Bank of China in Tianjin was the first bank to provide such services. The Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Linzi District, Zibo City, Shandong province, launched marriage registration in August during the Qixi Festival, or Chinese Valentine’s Day.
The hospital argues that this service streamlines the process of marriage registration, premarital exams, and preconception guidance. Internet users suggested other venues, like law firms, police offices, universities, and airports, should also offer marriage registration to simplify the process. In January, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport became the first airport to issue marriage certificates.
Last year, China revised marriage registration regulations, allowing couples to marry outside their hukou location and eliminating the need for hukou booklets. These changes led to unconventional marriage registration venues in tourist spots, parks, temples, and metro stations. Beijing and Nanjing's ancient temples, Hefei's metro station, and Shanghai's nightclub have all hosted marriage ceremonies.
China now boasts over 500 marriage registration sites outside civil affairs bureaus and more than 1,300 outdoor locations partnering with the bureau. While these services cover divorce as well, many outdoor sites do not offer divorce assistance due to additional documentation requirements. The government's diverse array of marriage registration venues is seen as an urgent attempt to boost marriage rates.
In Q3 last year, 1.61 million couples registered their marriages, a 22.5% year-on-year increase. Nationally, there were 6.76 million marriage registrations, a 657,000 increase from the previous year. However, in the first half of this year, marriages dropped by 7.5% year-on-year, with 3.28 million couples marrying. Some dismissed the convenient registration initiatives as futile, arguing that marriage issues stem from financial burdens, family conflicts, and personal freedom loss, rather than bureaucratic procedures.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
