Buying Mr Right
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An affluent Caijiawa village wife believes she made the right decision five years ago to marry her primary school teacher fiancé, even though he came from a much poorer village.
"We were introduced by an acquaintance and got married in 2005," said the woman, who asked not be named.
"We lived with my parents until 2009. He treats my parents even better than my younger brother.
"He also cooks a lot and spends more time with our child than me."
Brochures with "Socialist new countryside" on the cover are everywhere in this Miyun county village of the Beijing suburbs.
Caijiawa's economy has made the village stand out among its neighbors, making it a hotspot for male suitors from nearby villages looking for a comfy retirement.
"We provide free housing to our villagers," said Zhu Xiangdong, director of the village Communist Party committee.
"They no longer live in their shabby single-story houses. The villagers all move to the modern furnished apartment buildings with heating and gas, and each family has a 180-square-meter free apartment.
"So why would girls want to leave our village and marry somewhere else?"
Why indeed. Over the last seven years, more than 120 husbands of different ages have married Caijiawa women and moved into the 2,600-population village. Most not only enjoy village benefits but also a respected position in the household.
"Our child is still named after my husband," said the wife.
"Although he lives with us, he brought a dowry. Plus he has a better salary than me.
"We're quite equal in making decisions within the family."
Once the husband marries into the village, he enjoys the same benefits as everyone else and within five years his hukou residency permit can be transferred, Zhu explained.
"I believe that all conflicts between in-laws boil down to care of the old," Zhu said.
"So within our village it's never a problem as we have a very good pension system.
"If in-laws have enough money for their everyday life, they won't bother fighting."
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