the black China hand

With no eligible women in his village, Zhou Pin, 27 years old, thought he was lucky to find a pretty bride whom he met and married within a week, following the custom in rural China. Ten days later, Cai Niucuo vanished, leaving behind her clothes and identity papers. She did not, however, leave behind her bride price: 38,000 yuan, or about $5,500, which Mr. Zhou and his family had scrimped and borrowed to put together.

A combination of the One-Child Policy and the traditional Chinese love of male children has resulted in a social and public policy problem that will need to be resolved by the powers that be. I mean, a nation of men without a chance to get married can not be a good thing for China domestically or the world as a whole.

It’s Cold Cash, Not Cold Feet, Motivating Runaway Brides in China