PERCEPTION ON MARRIAGE : COUPLES & MARRIAGE PREPARATION PROGRAM

Abstract

It has now been a widely recognised and accepted fact that the perception on the institution of marriage in our present society is not quite similar when compared to that in the traditional Chinese society of the past. A review of literature illustarted that traditional perception on Marriage was fundamentally family-cantered (For example, Freedman, 1970; Lee, 1953). The emphasis was on familism. The creation and existence of marriage was essentially to serve familial interests -- to legitimate the offspring and procreate male descendants to perpetuate the patrilineal family line and to ensure the continuation of ancestor worship. Its accompanying customs and rites were performed precisely to impress upon the marrying couple the above significance. Marriage was contracted between families and for the families. However, contemporary perception of marriage is to be understood as conjugally-cantered marriage. Marriage is taken to be a matter between two marrying individuals. Marriage is about loving companionate relationship between the husband and wife. My present research is to investigate to what extent the perception on marriage for the Chinese couples has change from traditional family-centered to contemporary conjugally-centered. These couples are drawn from the larger group who had attended marriage preparation talks. Although there have been some local studies which address either directly or indirectly to the perception on marriage, an in-depth ethnographic study of a similar nature has yet to be done. My study would contribute to the sociological studies in Singapore in this respect.