Bride price and gender role in rural China

Abstract

Based on a qualitative analysis conducted in four provinces of rural China, this article sheds light into the adverse effects of bride price practice on women. Research has shown that the negative effect of the bride price practice on women is produced continuously rather than in a single step. The practice of bride price is a dynamic process, which involves the formation of three practical spaces, namely the physical space for negotiation, the public space for discussion, and the family space for allocation and use of bride price. In these three spaces, the interactive content of actions and language surrounding the bride price constructs women as an insider and an outsider; the approver and the performer; and family caregivers. This process continually awakens women's self-awareness but not beyond the scope of bride price, leading to their limited growth. This article examines how the increasing bride price in rural China influences women in the flow process, thus verifying whether high bride price can improve women’s status.