What is Bride Price or Pin Jin Issue (Dowry Price)?
A common custom in all Singaporean Chinese wedding, a bride price or normally known as Pin Jin (Dowry Price) is only one of the many wedding traditions that are still practiced by Chinese in Singapore. It came from the earliest Chinese belief that whenever a daughter is married, her family loses her while the in-laws would join her.
The groom’s family offers the bride’s family an amount of money as a symbol of respect. It serves to express the bride’s worthiness and to create goodwill between both families. The amount of Pin Jin to give is typically discussed during wedding negotiations of the groom and the bride’s parents or leaves the decision to the groom’s parents.
How much Bride Price (Pin Jin) to give
There is no market amount for Pin Jin, it could range anywhere starting from $800 to$8,000 or even more. As money matters are a sensitive issue. For everyone to be happy, ensure that you properly discuss this for both families to be pleased with the agreement.
For good fortune, the number of the amount given should be even. Most people favor the eighth number that symbolizes prosperity and good luck. The popular amounts are along $1,888-2,888 or $8,888.
How the Bride Price is presented
The bride price is introduced to the bride’s family before a wedding on a favorable day along with other gifts. It is normally presented during “Guo Da Li”.
The sum for a bride price is given in a red-colored package. For more traditional families, it is wrapped in a red cloth. In order to prove the generosity and sincerity of the groom, the groom’s family prepares a certain amount of money, a little more than what has been agreed upon.
The groom will be returned a part of the total bride price from the family of the bride. For example, if a total bride price amount of $2,000 is given, an amount of $1,200 is kept by the bride’s family and gives back the remaining amount. It is a way to prove that the groom’s family has been generous and the bride’s family are not ravenous. Nowadays, the bride’s family could choose to introduce the newlywed couple with the amount as a reward in helping them start a new life with each other.
