“有限度变迁”:理解中国择偶模式变迁的新框架

"Bounded Change":A New Framework to Understand the Change in Patterns of Mate Selection in China

伴随现代化进程的发展和西方各种文化思潮的涌入,当下中国的婚姻和择偶模式与传统社会时期已大不相同,呈现出中国本土社会独有的特征。本文结合西方理论和中国国情,构建了“有限度变迁”(Bounded Change)这一分析框架用以描绘我国择偶模式的演变。“有限度变迁”指的是,现代化进程的确导致了婚姻模式、择偶方式开始由传统模式向现代化模式变迁;然而,由于强韧婚姻文化和密切代际关系的存在,传统因素仍然有其作用的空间,即变迁存在一定的“边界”,达到这一边界时,人们的择偶模式又会回归传统。

With the development of industrialization and the influx of Western cultural trends,the current marriage and mate selection patterns are very different from those of traditional society,presenting the unique characteristics of Chinese society.Combining Western theories and China's national conditions,the theoretical framework of"bounded change"is proposed in this study to analyze the change in patterns of mate selection in China."Bounded change"means that the process of modernization has indeed led to the change in the marriage and mate selection pattern,from the traditional pattern to the modern one.However,due to the strong marriage culture and close intergenerational relations,traditional factors still have certain impacts,which are manifested in the existence of certain"boundaries"for change,and the pattern of mate selection would return to the traditional one once the boundary is reached.