• Source:JND
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In a bizarre and widely discussed case in central China, a woman who backed out of her wedding has demanded a so-called “hugging fee” of 30,000 yuan (around USD 4,200), claiming emotional distress and personal expenses, as reported by South China Morning Post.

The woman, from Pingdingshan in Henan province, had accepted a traditional bride price of 200,000 yuan (approximately USD 28,000) from her fiancé’s family earlier this year. The couple, introduced through a matchmaker, got engaged in January and had planned to marry in November. Wedding photographs were already taken, a hotel was booked, and relatives had been informed when the bride-to-be suddenly withdrew from the marriage.

According to local media reports from Henan TV, the woman agreed to return the bride price but insisted on keeping 30,000 yuan, describing it as a “hugging fee”, compensation for emotional strain and time spent together. “The woman thought the man was too honest and earned too little,” their matchmaker, surnamed Wan, told local media. “She said she would return most of the money but wanted to keep 30,000 yuan as a fee for the hugs during the photo shoot.”

Wan, who claims to have introduced more than a thousand couples over the past decade, said he had “never seen such an unreasonable demand.” He also revealed that the couple’s only physical contact occurred during the photo session at the photographer’s request. “Her demand for a 30,000 yuan reduction is immoral,” Wan said, adding that the man’s family was devastated after spending heavily on wedding arrangements.

The woman, however, defended her stance, saying she had no dispute with the man but simply changed her mind about marrying him. She also argued that the deduction included “expenses incurred” while they were dating.

After intense negotiations between both families, an agreement was reached for the woman to return 170,500 yuan (about USD24,000). The unusual dispute has since gone viral on Chinese social media platforms such as Weibo, attracting more than 23 million views and sparking heated debate over morality, money, and modern relationships.

Bride Price Debate Rekindled

The controversy has once again ignited discussion around China’s long-standing “bride price” tradition a payment made by the groom’s family to the bride’s family before marriage. In many rural regions, the bride price can reach as high as 500,000 yuan (USD 70,000), placing significant financial pressure on men and their families.

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Last year, a man in Hunan province sued his former fiancée and her father for refusing to return a 230,000 yuan bride price. Despite a court order, the family allegedly delayed repayment, forcing the man to seek help through media channels.

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The incident has highlighted the growing clash between traditional customs and modern relationship values in China, where love, money, and morality often collide in unpredictable ways.