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　　How the one-child policy changed Chinese nuptials

　　独生子女政策如何改变了中式婚礼

　　OVERSIZE cupids in pink, furry outfits hand out heart-shaped balloons with “I Do” written on them (in English) at a wedding-themed trade fair in Beijing. Vendors offer romantic photo-shoots of couples under water or at a racetrack, personalized wedding cigarettes, and biscuits with names such as “Date & Fate”. An emphasis on love is a new addition to Chinese weddings—and shines a pink-filtered spotlight on social change.

　　在北京的主题婚礼展上，粉色的超大丘比特身穿毛茸茸的衣服，手持心形气球，气球上写着“I Do”(“我愿意”的英文)。婚礼代理商们向新人们提供浪漫的水下或赛道婚纱照拍摄，个性化的婚礼香烟，以及刻字饼干，如“Date & Fate(巧遇)”饼干。把重点放在爱情上是中式婚礼上的一个新现象，闪耀的粉红滤光灯下聚焦的是社会的变革。

　　For centuries, marriage in China was about ensuring heirs for the groom's family. Ceremonies centered on the groom's kin: couples kowtowed to the man's parents but the woman's relatives were absent. Unusually, both the groom's and the bride's family exchanged money or goods. The more money changed hands, the more opulent the wedding.

　　几个世纪以来，结婚在中国意味着确保传递新郎家的香火。结婚仪式的重点是新郎的亲属：夫妻向男方父母磕头，女方亲属却不与之同席。而与此不同，新郎和新娘的家人需彼此交换金钱或物品，转手的彩礼钱越多，婚礼越奢华。

　　After it came to power in 1949, the Communist Party imposed frugality. Dowries consisted of necessities like bed linen or a bicycle; guests brought their own food coupons. But since the 1980s the extravagance of nuptials has matched the country's rise. Celebrations moved out of homes into hotels. Brides swapped traditional red dresses for white, flouncy meringue-like ones (some now wear both, in sequence).

　　中国共产党自1949年上台后厉行节约。嫁妆都是床单或自行车这类必需品，出席婚礼的宾客带去他们自己的粮券。但自20世纪80年代起，国家的崛起开始带来婚礼的铺张。婚礼仪式的举办地从家搬往酒店。新娘将传统的红色礼服换为荷叶边蛋筒状的白色礼服(现在也有些人依次换上两套礼服)。

　　A large industry has emerged to serve the 13m couples who marry each year. Wedding planners are increasingly common, particularly in cities. A decade ago Cosmo Bride, an American-owned lifestyle magazine, launched a Chinese-language edition in China. An average wedding cost $12,000 in 2011 (the latest year for which such data exist)—the equivalent of more than two years' income for the average urban household. An increase in the average marriage age by 2.5 years since 1990 has given parents (who still usually pay for weddings, despite the earning power of their children) more time to save up.

　　为了服务于每年1,300万的新婚夫妇，一个大型产业已然崛起。婚礼策划越来越普遍，尤其是在城市。十年前，美国婚尚生活杂志Cosmo Bride在中国推出其中文版《时尚新娘》。2011 年，平均婚礼花费达到12,000美元(最新年度数据)——相当于城镇居民家庭两年多的人均收入。1990年起，平均结婚年龄增加2.5年，这给父母留下了更多攒钱的时间(尽管他们的孩子也能挣钱，他们仍然会支付婚礼花销)。

　　The change in wedding frippery also reflects a fundamental shift in society. For the first time in the history of Chinese family life, the child—rather than ancestors or parents—is regarded as the centre of the family, says Yan Yunxiang of the University of California, Los Angeles. Most newly-weds now are single children, born since the one-child policy was introduced more than 30 years ago. Parents have more to spend if they only have to fork out for one wedding (they usually share costs with the spouse-to-be's family).

　　婚礼变得华而不实也反映出社会的根本性转变。加州大学洛杉矶分校的阎云翔说，中国的家庭生活史上，这是第一次，孩子，而不是先辈或父母，被视为家庭的中心。由于30多年前推出的独生子女政策，目前大多数新婚夫妇都是独生子女。如果父母只需承担这一场婚礼的费用，他们会付出更多(他们通常与其亲家分摊此费用) 。

　　William Jankowiak of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who has documented relationships in China for 30 years, says love plays a larger part in young people's lives—both in choice of partner and in their relationships with parents. Love is far more often spoken about. The result is evident in weddings, which now focus on the couple. Both sets of parents are represented, but their position is peripheral. Weddings often feature a day of wedding photos, shot before the event, with the couple in a range of outfits against romantic backgrounds, but with no family members.

　　拉斯维加斯内华达大学的威廉·姜克维30年来记录了中国的各种关系，他说，在年轻人的生活中，无论是对伴侣的选择还是与父母的相处，爱都日渐重要。这一结果在婚礼上显而易见，因为现在的婚礼专注于夫妻二人，双方父母都出席，但他们只是陪衬。婚礼现场当天通常饰以在此前拍摄的婚纱照，在浪漫的背景下，夫妻穿上一系列服装拍摄婚纱照，但没有家庭成员参与其中。