{"id":5683,"date":"2017-11-15T02:32:59","date_gmt":"2017-11-15T02:32:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.blog.thatsmandarin.com\/?p=5683"},"modified":"2021-05-05T10:31:53","modified_gmt":"2021-05-05T10:31:53","slug":"dating-china-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/api.thatsmandarin.com\/blog\/dating-china-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Dating in China: Then and Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\tDating and courtship have been around for centuries. Both vary by each country\u2019s culture and traditions which makes every practice unique from each other. When we talk about dating cultures and traditions, one of the most interesting and most talked about is China. Made up with thousands of years of practice way back from numerous ancient Chinese dynasties, the country is rich in culture and traditions which includes dating and marriage.<\/p>\n

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Dating in China: Then<\/h2>\n

\"Dating<\/p>\n

Dating in ancient China was mostly nonexistent because of the feudalistic society in China that lasted for two thousand years. The practice back then was that a marriage is decided by the parents and not by two young people who love each other.The marriage procedures are quite long in the ancient Chinese culture, but the most recognized process that was passed down from generation to generation is The Three Letters and Six Etiquettes \u4e09\u4e66\u516d\u793c (s\u0101n sh\u016b li\u00f9 l\u01d0).<\/p>\n

The Three Letters<\/h3>\n

The three letters consist of the Betrothal Letter, the Gift Letter, and the Wedding Letter. The Betrothal Letter \u8058\u4e66 (p\u00ecn sh\u016b) is the contract which binds the two families together through marriage. The Gift Letter \u793c\u4e66 (l\u01d0 sh\u016b) is a list that defines the kinds and the total number of gifts from the bride\u2019s dowry. The Wedding Letter \u8fce\u4eb2\u4e66 (y\u00edng q\u012bn sh\u016b) is the formal letter that welcomes the bride to her new husband\u2019s home.<\/p>\n

The Six Etiquettes<\/h3>\n

Chinese people are somewhat superstitious and they take great importance to marriage. This tradition has been a part of Chinese marriage practices since the Western Zhou Dynasty from 1046 BC-771 BC and implemented by Prince Zhuo Gong \u5468\u516c.The six etiquettes are the proposal, birthdate matching, giving of betrothal and wedding gifts, choosing the wedding date and lastly, the wedding ceremony. For this traditional practice to take place, the presence of a matchmaker \u5a92\u4eba (m\u00e9i ren) and both the bride and groom\u2019s family must be present.<\/p>\n

The proposal is when the boy\u2019s parents would request the matchmaker to propose to the potential girl and to her family. If the proposal went as planned, the matchmaker would then ask about the marrying couple\u2019s birthdate which is known as the four pillars of birth time. This specifically refers to the year, month, day and distinct hour the couple was born.<\/p>\n

The matchmaker would then present this to a fortune teller \u7eb3\u5409 (n\u00e0 j\u00ed) to predict the couple\u2019s future.Giving gifts is one of the most important of the six etiquettes. It\u2019s meant to show respect for the bride and her family. If the couple\u2019s birthdates are a match according to the fortune teller, the boy\u2019s family would then give the engagement gifts to the girl\u2019s family along with the betrothal letter. When the girl\u2019s family accepts the gifts, they would then be presented with the wedding gifts.The matchmaker would consult the fortune teller for the perfect day of the wedding. If the chosen date is favorable to both families, then the wedding ceremony would go through.<\/p>\n

Though for others, it may be a long engagement depending on the ideal date where it favors the couple\u2019s happiness and prosperity. The bride must also present her dowry to the groom\u2019s family before the ceremony.On the wedding day, it\u2019s tradition for the bride to wear a red wedding gown along with a red veil. For the Chinese people, red symbolizes many things which includes love, fertility, joy and good fortune. The couple would also be required to perform the Kowtow three times. One bow for heaven and earth, one bow for their parents and one bow for their spouse. Only when they officially become husband and wife is the time the groom is permitted to lift the veil from his bride\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

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Dating in China:\u00a0Now<\/h2>\n

\"Dating<\/p>\n

Chinese dating in modern times took quite a bit of a leap compared to the traditions of ancient China.<\/p>\n

But some of those traditions still exist and practiced to this day. Though the country is fairly new to this, considering its culture and traditions lasted for thousands of years. With the development of technology, people now have more options when it comes to dating to the point where people from different countries are able to meet through dating apps.<\/p>\n

Dating Apps<\/h3>\n

Dating apps played a huge role in modernizing the country\u2019s dating scene.<\/p>\n

But your usual go-to dating apps might not work if you\u2019re trying to score a date in China. If and when you\u2019re interested to meet single people through the best dating apps in China<\/a>, remember that there are still bad elements online. It\u2019s essential to be safe and be aware of scammers. Your safety should be your first priority when dating online.<\/p>\n

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Dating Phrases<\/h3>\n

Since you\u2019ve reached this part of the article, you\u2019re now probably interested in dating someone in China. But how will you do it is you don\u2019t know a single Chinese phrase? Continue reading to learn some basic phrases to open up a conversation.<\/p>\n

Making conversations is absolutely necessary when you\u2019re dating. But when your Chinese speaking skills are limited, making these conversations happen especially with your best buddies or a potential date can be extra challenging.<\/p>\n

Here are some of the most basic phrases to get you started:<\/p>\n