浅析中美婚姻观念之差异

1浅析中美婚姻观念之差异AnanalysisoftheDifferencesofSino-USMarriageConceptsChapterⅠIntroductionMarriageasahumaninstitutionexistsinallmajorcivilizationssincethedrawnoftime.Withthetrendofglobalization,thecross-culturalcommunicationbetweenChineseandwesterncountriesismoreandmorefrequentandtheinternationalCross-culturalmarriagebecomeverycommon.Buttheculturaldifferencesdohaveinfluenceoninternationalmarriage.ThispaperistoanalyzetheculturaldifferencesbetweenChineseandAmerican,andtofindoutthecausesofculturaldifferences.Also,itreferstothechangesofconceptsinmarriageinordertomakepeoplefullyawareofthesituationofChinesemarriageandknowmoreaboutwesternmarriageandmakesomeimprovements.Atthesametime,itmakesiteasyforpeopletounderstandinternationalmarriage,sothatbothChineseandforeignerscouldavoidculturalshockwhencommunicatingwitheachother.Besides,throughcomparingtothedifferences,weshouldusethecreamofdifferentcultureinothercountriesforreferenceandhelpunderstandbetterourownculture.2ChapterⅡTheDifferencebetweenChineseandAmericaMarriage2.1DifferentConceptsofMarriageMarriage,simplyspeaking,isthatpeople’sviewsandattitudesonmarriageandthefamily.TherearemanysimilaritiesinmarriagebetweenchinaandAmerica.Whoallgiveadinnerinhonorofrelatives,husbandsallhaveheavierpressurethanwives,andtheyallloveeachotherverymuch.ButAmericansconceptofmarriageandtheChineseconceptofmarriagearealsoextremelydifferent.Becausetheybelievethat:marriageispurelyprivatematter,noonecaninterfereatthesametime.Themarriagedoesbelongtomoralissues.Theyhavetherighttochoosehisorherfavoritepeopletolivetogether.Oncetheexistingmarriageisfoundamistake,heorsheshallhaveasecondchoice.Ifoneofthecouplefellinlovewithathirdparty,anypartywillnotbecondemned.Intheirview:forcingtwopeoplewhodonotlivetogetherinloveiscruel.China’straditionalconceptofmarriage,happinesscangivetheirlife.InAmericaneyes,loveislove,isverysimple.Americanstowardmarriageisserious,whichchangesouroriginalfeelofcasualwaytheytreattheirmarriage.Theydonoteasilygetmarriedandthepeoplearoundthemdonotworryforthem,andguessnothing.Morethanthirtyandevenfortytogetmarriedisnormal,Andmanypeoplehavenosuitablecandidatestoselectuntiltheygetold,sotheychoosetobesingle,Wehaveseeninoldmoviesbeforetheyareemotionallymorecasual,ButwhenyoureallyunderstandtheAmericans,you’llfindthattheytreatmarriageveryseriouslywithhighqualityrequirements.Oncethepartiesdonotloveeachother,theywillchoosetodivorceimmediatelyWomenintheUnitedStatesafterthefailurewillnotbetooemotionaldependentonmenbuttendtodocalmlyre-selectiontolove.Besides,whiletheychoosetheirpartners,theypayalotofattentiontoiftheothersidehasacommoninterestwiththemandwhethertheothersidewillmakethempleasedandhappyinsteadoftheeconomiccapacity,appearanceandeducation.Conversely,traditionalChineseideaofmarriageisBainianhaoheandgoodmatch.Butinreallife,becausethisorthatproblem,cracksinthefamilyhappensallthetime.2.2ContrastoftheDifferencesinSomeContracts2.2.1MarriageLawandWeddingMarriageinChinaisratheruniquetotherestoftheworldbecauseoftheMarriageLawofChinaandtheweddingstyles.PeoplewhoaregettingmarriedshouldunderstandtheMarriageLaw,andobtainmarriagecertificatesbeforetheyactuallygetmarried.TheMarriageLawofthePeople’sRepublicofChinacanbeabstractedasthefollows:Thebrideandthegroommustagreetomarryeachotherwillingly.1．Thelegalmarriageage:menmustbe22yearsofageorolderandwomenmustbe20yearsofageorolder.2．Monogamy.3．Peoplewithcertainhealthcondition,suchashavingspreadingdiseasewillberestrictedtogetmarried.Whatgetsthemarringpeople’sattentionbesidesthelawisthepreparationofthewedding.Intheoldtimes,theparentsofthebrideandgroomwouldhavenegotiationsseveralmonthsaheadofthewedding.Frequentlythebride’sparentswouldrequestahandsomegiftfromthegroom’sfamilyasiftheyweresellingtheirdaughter.Suchnegotiationsmaybestilltakeplaceinsomefarcountrysidevillages.Anotherimportantthingneedstobedoneperhapsistofindaplace,atleastaroom,forthemarringcouple,called“newcouple”,toliveinafterthewedding.Thisplace,called3“newroom”,willbedecoratedtothebestasitcouldbe.Thepreparationoftheweddingdresscomesnext.Intradition,thenewcouplewillwearredweddingdressesbecausethecolorofredrepresentsgoodness.Thematerialforthedressesusuallyissilk.Andthestyleofthedressesisverydifferentfromthestyleofthedressesthatpeopleweardaily.QiPao,akindofdressfashionedintheQingDynastyisverypopularlytobechosenasbridalgowns.BrideswouldalsowearPhoenixCrowns,bridalcrownssophisticatedlydecoratedwithcraftphoenixesandpearls.Ontheotherhand,MaGua,atraditionaldressformenwithlongfrontandbackcovering,standingcollar,rolled–upsleeves,andafunnylookingwatermelonpeallikehat,wouldbechosenforthegroomtopairwiththebride’sQiPao.However,inthismodernage,especiallyyoungcoupleswillmostlychoosewesternstyleweddingdresses.Incities,weddingsareusuallyhostedinhotelbanquethalls;whileinthecountryside,weddingsaresometimeshostedinvillagemeetingareas.Thehostingfamilieswillinvitemanyrelativesandfriendstotheweddings.Inthecountryside,itisnotasurpriseifeverybodyinavillageisinvited.Onemaywonderhowthehostingfamilycanaffordsuchabigparty.Well,these