Yes, you read that right. Multiple local governments in China, including Ürümqi, Xinjiang, Chengdu, Sichuan and Ningbo, Zhejiang have announced that they will be sending civil affairs teams to local music festivals, so you can register your marriage directly if you plan to propose or simply find love there.
Netizens, however, are less than impressed. Many note that the low marriage rate is not caused by the lack of registration points. Some joked that if the strategy is to rely on “impulse buy” to boost marriages, then they might as well try outside universities or move it online so you can register for marriage like internet banking.
- #多地音乐节可在现场领证结婚 You can register for marriage at music festivals at multiple places in China: 28.66 million views on Weibo, ranking number 9 on the Hot Search list
The change came after China eased its marriage registration process in May. The simplified paperwork eliminated the need for the household registration book (户口本) and removed the requirement to return to one party’s household registration location. The added flexibility means couples can now get married anywhere civil affairs teams are present. China is scrambling to rally marriage and birth rates, with data from the national Ministry of Civil Affairs showing that only 6.11 million couples got married in 2024, a 20% drop from the previous year. Whether the “Vegas-esque” registration push will help still needs to be monitored.