01:36
A
new term has become popular recently among Chinese netizens: "Naked
marriage". It's not what it sounds like – but the term does have a
special meaning: Getting married without a house, car, diamond ring or
a proper wedding ceremony.
Taking a picture and getting a marriage
certificate is all that is involved.
Among these "naked" aspects,
having no house is the most important, because it usually stands as a symbolic
guarantee.
A popular Chinese TV drama, "Dwelling Narrowness," strikes
a chord with China's so-called "house slaves," especially those born after
1980, whose youthful ambitions are cut short by soaring real estate prices and
an inability to afford a mortgage.
While a naked marriage might be today's answer
to the rising costs of living in China's bigger cities, some also say it is
wrong to base a marriage on material goods in the first place. One Internet
survey showed 43 percent of respondents would prefer a naked marriage, and 47 percent say
they don't.
However, when the result is classified by sex, it reveals a more
interesting pattern: 80 percent of men would accept that arrangement, while 70 percent of
women would not.
CGTN's special series “Chinese Terminology”, which was launched on November 26, marks the 40-year anniversary of the country's reform and opening up program. The episodes, hosted by CGTN anchors Jeff Moody and Jonathan Betz, are being aired every day at 20:15, 12:00 and 16:00 BJT.