Screenshot of the letter. Photo: web

Recently, a netizen left a message on the mailbox of the official website of the Zhenyuan county government in Qingyang, Northwest China's Gansu Province, claiming to have been asked for a bride price of 288,000 yuan ($39,815), and calling upon local authorities to rectify the phenomenon of high bride price, a story which has attracted widespread attention. 

The netizen claimed to be a university student and said in his message that he had known a girl from the county for a year and that "they both liked each other very much." However, after telling their parents about their relationship, the girl's parents said that the minimum bride price in their county was 288,000 yuan. The netizen pleaded with the county mayor to take strong measures to rectify high bride price, alleging that "this could benefit many families and couples like me and my girlfriend."

In response, the publicity department of the county committee of the Communist Party of China stated that, after investigation and verification, the overall trend in bride prices in the county has been decreasing in recent years. The issue of high bride prices has attracted widespread attention. In recent years, various localities have introduced a series of policy regulations to effectively curb high bride prices. By implementing rigid provisions and measures such as limiting the maximum amount, the practice of high-priced dowries, extravagant weddings, and lavish funerals are being firmly curbed.