In China: Valentine’s Day and the Business of Marriage
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The Western holidays that generate the most attention in China are those that lend themselves to shopping trips—for candy, cards, clothing, and costumes. Thus, Halloween and Valentine’s Day are big events.
This year, Valentine’s Day falls on the final day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, the annual festival when most of the country is officially off work and en route to visit family. That includes Beijing’s Civil Affairs Bureau—depriving lovebirds of the opportunity of filing wedding registration documents auspiciously dated Feb. 14. (Last year about 4,000 Beijing couples married on that day.)