Jilted bride refunds a quarter of her bride price

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-27 13:48

Li Na, 23, was ordered in court to refund 4,000 yuan ($590) of her 18,800-yuan bride price to former fiance Wang Ming, who married another woman on the day he had originally intended to marry Li.

Wang, 25, took Li to court after he had married another woman named Zhang Qian. He intended to obtain a full refund of the 18,800-yuan bride price he had paid Li.

Wang and Li had been officially engaged since June 13 last year, when he bought her an engagement ring and other presents. The couple planned to marry on Nov 24 last year.

Wang, however, fell in love with Zhang while working as a migrant worker in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

Li was said to have been distraught when she heard that Wang had wed Zhang on the day he had promised to marry her. Wenxian County People's Court handed down a compromise judgment, ruling that Li had infringed on social mores by asking for the bride price before being officially married, and that their engagement was not a legally protected institution.

It also ruled that Wang had caused Li considerable distress by marrying another woman on that particular date without informing his ex-fiancee.