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At least in urban areas, brides tend to treat dowries like a feudal relic. Their moms see things differently. In China, it’s traditional for families to provide financial support when their children get married, with the groom’s parents usually expected to give money to the bride’s parents. Known as the “bride price,” it symbolizes the establishment of marriage as well as a form of compensation to the woman’s family for the loss of her labor. The woman’s parents will then typically give her gifts to take with her to her new family, which can be thought of as a kind of dowry. These dowries often include various daily necessities the woman will need in her new life, as well as a small amount of cash or jewelry. The particular items, quantities, and values of dowries have varied across historical periods, regions, and social classes, and the question of who owns or can use the dowry is highly complex. Although sometimes thought of as a feudal relic, dowries seem to have rega
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