China tries to tempt couples into marriage with music festival wedding booths
Advertisement
Local officials in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, made headlines over the weekend when they set up a temporary registry office at the Super Strawberry Music Festival – the latest in a string of eye-catching local initiatives designed to tempt couples to tie the knot.
Eligible mainland Chinese couples at the festival were able to get married on the spot with just their ID cards and three passport-sized photos, according to the civil affairs bureau in Urumqi's Shuimogou District.
Three couples got hitched at the booth while it was open on Saturday afternoon, according to local media reports. Yao Yuyang, a resident of a nearby city called Changji, had originally planned to marry her boyfriend on Monday, but the couple decided to change their plans when they arrived at the festival.
'The festival featured a performance by my favourite band, Summer Invasion Project, so we could get married and enjoy the music together,' Yao told the Urumqi Evening News on Sunday. 'The on-site registration was convenient – it only took about 10 minutes to complete.'
Advertisement
Marriage registry offices have been popping up in unexpected locations across China with increasing frequency in recent months, as local officials do everything they can to boost the nation's plummeting marriage rate.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Michelle Yeoh takes a shine to Labubu made for Hong Kong panda cubs' birthday
Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh has become the latest celebrity to take part in a Hong Kong tourism drive after sharing a fun social media picture with a Labubu doll specially made to mark the first birthday of the city's panda twins later this month. Advertisement The star on Monday shared a photo on Instagram of her holding up the Labubu doll, which is cradling the twin pandas in its arms, above a bucket of popcorn. 'Celebrating Hong Kong-born panda twins' first birthday (and my birthday too) with Labubu in the Hollywood Bowl,' she wrote. In other pictures, Yeoh was also seen holding the special doll with American actor Jeff Goldblum, known for his role in the movie Jurassic Park, as well as British actress and singer Cynthia Erivo. Yeoh is among celebrities around the world who received the unique Labubu doll as part of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau's collaboration with the toy's creator, Kasing Lung, to celebrate the first birthday of Hong Kong's panda cub twins and promote the city. The cubs, Jia Jia and De De, are the first to be born in Hong Kong. Photo: May Tse Under the collaboration, the Hong Kong Tourism Board partnered with Lung to send out the distinctive dolls to celebrities and famous influencers to showcase online.
South China Morning Post
9 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Love for ancient art: how Cantonese opera troupe is capturing young hearts
Cantonese opera originated in China's southern Guangdong province. It uses singing, acrobatics and martial arts to tell a story. But the shows' long runtimes and use of old, traditional music can be a little overwhelming, especially for younger audiences. That is why the Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Troupe (HKCOT) have been trying to make the ancient art form more interesting for children and teenagers. The HKCOT puts on shows that combine traditional narratives and costumes with modern parts. For example, redesigned backdrops that 'create more variety on the stage', according to Yam Yuen-yam, the group's promotion and events manager. Other upgrades include special stage designs, lighting, music and even animated projections, which all help create eye-catching performances. Capturing interest Thompson Vong Seng-pan is a Cantonese opera actor with the HKCOT. The 31-year-old has studied the ancient art for two decades – the larger part of his life. Vong and Yam agree that Cantonese opera is not very popular with young people in Hong Kong. 'Teenagers [find] Cantonese opera dull because it's really long,' Vong said through a translator. Performances also have traditional songs that young people 'do not really understand,' he added. To help young people learn about the art, the HKCOT has held workshops at schools. In these sessions, actors discuss the props used in a production and even demonstrate some of the skills. Vong, who has joined some of the events, said he was happy to see how they helped students become interested in Cantonese opera. Yam added: 'It gives students a basic understanding of Cantonese opera … [which] has a long history. Its culture and heritage have to be protected.' Love at first watch Vong was born in Macau. He recalled how he felt the first time he watched a Cantonese opera performance. 'My first impression was that the costumes were very beautiful and the Cantonese opera [actors'] voices were really good,' he said. When he was nine years old, Vong convinced his parents to sign him up for lessons at a local community centre. Eventually, he decided to try becoming a professional performer. He moved to Hong Kong from Macau because there were more opportunities for Cantonese opera here, he said. Vong encourages young people to come and watch the shows. 'Even if they do not understand the songs or dances, they can feel the emotions on stage, like when they fight or when they cry,' he said.
South China Morning Post
18 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's Aaron Kwok named honorary narcotics commissioner in anti-drugs push
Cantopop star Aaron Kwok Fu-shing has been appointed as an honorary narcotics commissioner as part of the Hong Kong government's latest campaign to stamp out the increasingly popular novel drug etomidate. Secretary of Security Chris Tang Ping-keung announced Kwok's honorary role at a publicity event for the 'Anti-Drug, New Era' campaign on Sunday, while the singer gave a performance of specially designed dance moves and chanted slogans with the audience. 'Your responsibility is to try and observe on campus. If any students are unfortunately trying etomidate, you should report them to rescue them from the clutches of drugs,' the singer told about 50 youth ambassadors at the event. Kwok also taught the new dance moves to the assembled youth ambassadors, who are expected to raise awareness at schools about the dangers of etomidate and other drugs. The government has stepped up efforts to crack down on etomidate, formerly known as 'space oil', including renaming the drug last week. The narcotic's main ingredient, from which it also gets its new name, was included in the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance in February. The narcotic is commonly sold in e-cigarette liquid capsules and used in vapes. Its main ingredient was originally used as an anaesthetic in hospitals or administered to animals in rare cases.
