ETYMOLOGY
Rooted in Zhou Dynasty's marital rites,彩礼(li) originally symbolized commitment through gift exchanges between families. The Book of Rites records six wedding ceremonies where grooms presented betrothal gifts.
Modern distortion began around 2010 due to China's gender imbalance (118 boys born per 100 girls in 2005). In Jiangxi province, average彩礼reached ¥380,000($53,000) in 2022 - 15 times local annual income. A viral Douyin video showed a mother demanding 'fully-paid Hangzhou apartment + BMW X5 + ¥880,000 cash', sparking nationwide outrage.
The CCP intervened in 2023, with the No.1 Central Document explicitly targeting exorbitant彩礼. Henan's Ningling County capped彩礼at ¥50,000. Zhihu's trending post 'Why Do Poorer Regions Demand Higher Bride Prices?' (120k upvotes) analyzed it as a brutal marriage auction among low-income males.
Example: 'Their relationship collapsed during彩礼negotiations - her family insisted on ¥500,000 calling it market rate.'