Curbing the trend of rising bride price

Bride price, which refers to the money the groom or his family gives to the parents of the bride before marriage, is an age-old tradition in China, especially in rural areas. With the rapid growth of the Chinese economy in recent years, bride prices in some rural areas have reached absurdly high levels and thus increased the economic burden of grooms and their families.

Media reports say that to curb this unhealthy trend, some local authorities, such as those in Liangshan prefecture of Southwest China's Sichuan province and Taiqian county of Central China's Henan province, have set 60,000 yuan ($8,736) as the limit for bride price, sparking heated public discussions.

Some people have welcomed the move, claiming it could effectively curb the rising bride price. But others say the administration should not intervene in such matters as they concern people's private affairs.