The tradition of caili (彩礼), commonly known as the “bride price,” involves the groom’s family giving gifts or money to the bride’s family as a blessing upon marriage. This custom has attracted significant attention from the government, judiciary, and public in China over the past decade due to an imbalanced gender ratio among the youth, alongside declining marriage and birth rates. Despite official discouragement since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Xi Jinping administration has been promoting family-oriented ideologies while selectively reviving certain traditions, such as curbing the practice of caili. This paradoxical approach aims to restore Confucian familial hierarchy while prioritizing practical considerations of promoting marriage and childbirth rates.

As a deeply ingrained folk custom, the authorities can only curb excessive expenditures rather than abolish the practice entirely. In rural areas, women lose land rights after marriage and are considered outsiders by their maiden families. In urban households, the bride price is often viewed as economic compensation or a “buyout” for the maiden family, particularly influenced by the one-child policy. Interestingly, many young women, including those who identify as feminists, have embraced this practice as compensation for the impact of childbirth and caregiving on their careers. This shift echoes the arguments of Western conservative female activists who criticize the pressure on women to balance career and family responsibilities.

This paper addresses two main questions. First, from a gender perspective, it examines whether the bride price is compatible with feminist discourse and if it genuinely recognizes women’s domestic labor through economic compensation. It also explores how this practice differs from other historical practices, such as child brides (Tongyangxi 童养媳), in terms of women’s rights. Second, from comparative legal and political perspectives, it assesses whether interventions by the Supreme People’s Court of China and other institutions to curb exorbitant bride prices promote gender equality. By reviewing recent cases and guiding documents from the Supreme People’s Court, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and the All-China Women’s Federation, the paper aims to evaluate how China’s legal and political systems advance gender equality by framing a distinctive discourse on family and social order.