ChinaXiao Dan, 16 years old, died of an accident late last year, but her adoptive parents still married her to a guy who also died for 66,000 yuan.
The incident broke out when last week, Mr. Sun (the girl’s biological father) reported it to the police.
In 2005, Sun and his wife gave Xiao Dan up for adoption because of difficult family circumstances. The adoptive parents’ family is well-off, only has one son and always hopes to have another daughter.
After her child’s death, Sun discovered that her child had been abused for a long time and believed that this was the cause of her child’s suicide, not an accidental fall as concluded by the police. “At first I tried to accept Xiao Dan’s death, but when I discovered that my daughter had become a ghost bride, I decided to pursue it,” he said.
The adoptive parents admitted that they were paid 66,000 yuan (220 million VND) for this ghost marriage, but the purpose was to find a husband for their child.
A ghost marriage in Shandong province, China. Image: Sixthtone
Local authorities in Quan County, Shandong Province, eastern China confirmed the transaction of 66,000 yuan. With the accusation that the adoptive parents abused her leading to her suicide, there was no evidence, so prosecution could not be carried out.
The incident sparked public outcry. Mr. Zhang Xuehong, secretary of Quan district, emphasized the need for strict regulations on ghost marriages. He advocates increasing public awareness and education campaigns to eliminate such practices.
According to research by Huang Jingchun, a professor at Shanghai University, the practice of ghost marriage may have appeared in China 3,000 years ago. Some elderly people in this country still believe that if a person dies without being married, they will not rest in peace and will disturb the living family.
The procedures for ghost marriages are similar to arranged marriages of living people. Parents search for suitable people for their children through matchmakers or word of mouth. Then, they asked about the other family, occupation, age, and even looked at photos to make sure they were compatible. Finally they held a wedding ceremony, exhumed and buried the two bodies in a new grave.
In modern society, the line between ghost marriage and Chinese law is unclear. “The current law does not explicitly and directly prohibit this practice. The law will only intervene if other illegal activities and crimes stem from ghost marriages,” said Yao Jianlong, director of the Institute of Law. at Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said.
In fact, this custom not only carries an air of outdated superstition but can also become a breeding ground for crime.
According to incomplete statistics, from 2013 to 2020, there have been at least 80 cases related to “ghost marriages”, including many cases related to body theft and even murder to make a profit from selling the body. . For example, in 2016, three men in Gansu killed two mentally disabled women, then transported the bodies to Shaanxi to sell as “ghost brides”.
Bao Nhien (According to Sixthtone/163)
