唐代嫁妆消费考

唐代形成提供丰厚嫁妆的习俗是古代婚姻观念由尚门第向重财婚转变的一个重要标志,也是唐宋变革的一个重要方面。政府资助的10贯钱可看作是嫁妆的最低消费,稍微富有之家的嫁妆已十分丰厚,公主的嫁妆约为500万贯,县主的嫁妆约为3630贯。厚嫁的社会风气产生了贫女难嫁、婚姻愆期、卖女娶妇等社会问题。社会和国家主要采取亲友和政府出资助嫁两种措施来应对这种习俗。

A Survey of Dowry Consumption in Tang Dynasty

The custom of providing abundant dowries were formed in the Tang dynasty,indicating a shift of social value on marriage from social status orientation to money orientation. While the minimum consumption of dowries was 10 guan funded by government,well-off families often provided large dowries. The dowry of a princess was worth about 5 million guan,and that of an agate nushi was 3630 guan. That was the reason why girls from the poor families can hardly get married and in some cases daughters were sold for the sons to get a wife. To deal with this problem,social responses were established where those poor women would get help from either their friends and relations or the government to get married.