Journal of Sociology and Social Work

The Influence of Religion on Mixed Marriages among Africans and Chinese in China: A Case Study of Inter Ethnic Marriages in Yiwu
Tano Kouassi Joseph, SUN Qiu Yun, Kouame Teya

Abstract
Marriage is an institution which authorizes the union of two people and consequently of two families and the betterment of two cultures. In traditional Chinese society, everybody gets married for the sake of family continuity. This is because; bringing forth a child is seen as a contribution to perpetuate the family name. It is meant for two families to seal stronger bonds together. It is therefore observed that, marriage in the Chinese society is conceived for the families rather than for sharing love. On the legal level, only the civil wedding has a legal value in the traditional Chinese culture. Conversely, the traditional marriage which is still called the usual marriage practically does not exist in China. This study entails the influence of religion in the marriage between Africans and the Chinese in China to understand this paradox as well as to seek for the explanatory factors or determinants of the choice of spouse(s). The researcher's theoretical approach and field investigation relate the influence of religious beliefs and the social-cultural evolution of marriage in the Chinese society. This work will thus, unearth a new approach on the reports/ratios of mixed marriages in which religious beliefs nowadays do not constitute any major hurdle within the Chinese society.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jssw.v5n1a12