China will use a new type of marriage registration certificate from January 1, 2004. The covers of new marriage certificates and divorce certificates are maroon red.
The old marriage registration certificate can continue to be used until June 30, 2004. From July 1, 2004, all marriage registration agencies in China will no longer use the old certificate. In the early years, the materials of marriage letters included rice paper, hard copy, silk, rough-edged paper, etc. Most of them were written in handwriting. After 1912, they were printed with ink, and the words were gorgeous and beautiful. Before 1949, Chinese folk marriage customs generally followed the old system. The key to marriage was not the consent of the male and female parties, but compliance with the orders of the parents and the words of the matchmaker. Therefore, the marriage certificate at that time included the introducer, officiant, betrothed, and the person getting married. The names of the person, grandparents and even great-grandparents must be written down. Some even have to write down the restaurant where the engagement or wedding was held. There is a long list of various names. Nowadays, marriage is decided by the parties themselves, and the marriage certificate has become a compact marriage certificate.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, marriage certificates have become compact marriage certificates. The marriage certificate in 1950 was only two palm-sized pieces of thin paper. There were no colorful patterns on it except the name, age, place of origin, signature of the person getting married, and the signature of the witness. There is a passage on the cover: In the spirit of the Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China and the People's Republic of China, we voluntarily became husband and wife, treated each other as equals, loved and respected each other, helped each other, supported each other, worked in harmony and unity, worked and produced, raised children, and Family happiness and the construction of a new society are fighting together.
From 1952 to the late 1970s, marriage certificates were printed with strong ethnic-style patterns, and from 1952 to 1959, there was also a peace dove pattern on the marriage certificates. Rice ears and cotton were also the protagonists on the marriage certificate at that time, which reflects that agriculture accounted for a considerable proportion of the national economy at that time.
Marriage certificates in the 1950s and 1960s all had a concise slogan engraved on them. For example, on a marriage certificate from 1954, four large pink characters "voluntary" are prominently printed. In the early 1960s, traditional mascots such as mandarin ducks playing in the water, lotuses and plum blossoms appeared on marriage certificates, symbolizing people's expectations for social stability and good weather.
During the "Cultural Revolution", everything was covered with absurd political colors, and marriage certificates were certainly no exception. At that time, every marriage certificate must have a quotation from Chairman Mao: "We come from all over the world, and come together for a common revolutionary goal... People in all revolutionary ranks must care for each other and support each other." Love and help each other."
After the reform and opening up, with the gradual improvement of China's legal system, the marriage certificate is no longer a souvenir of the couple's marriage at the bottom of the box, but has become a legal document in the true sense. The number of people using marriage certificates is increasing day by day, so marriage certificates have also "returned to their original nature", gradually eliminating complicated patterns, and changing from certificate-type to passport-type, making it easier for married people to carry it.
In the past, there was a tendency in society to believe that marriage is a happy event and should be prosperous. Marriage certificates should be bright red. However, this kind of bright red marriage certificate has a low degree of informatization and is not very popular. Suitable for the development of modern society. The color and specifications of the marriage certificate launched in 2004 have been changed, and the high-tech content of the certificate has been increased. The flowers on the marriage certificate are peonies.