Chinese county bans Communist party members from having birthday parties
Birthdays, housewarmings and other types of parties have been banned for Communist Party members in a county in southwestern China, with the exception of weddings and funerals, after the central government called for people to minimise spending on celebrations.
Authorities in Funing county, Yunnan province, also announced that cash gifts for weddings will be limited to 200 yuan (£22) and that funerals cannot last longer than three days.
These new restrictions apply to all Communist Party members, civil servants and leaders of village organisations.
They require public servants to report all event plans, including time, location, guest list and cost. Details of funeral processions must be reported no more than 10 days after the event.
In recent years, monetary gifts for such occasions have been used as bribes towards hosts in powerful positions in government.
Funerals and weddings are highly symbolic of wealth and social status to those in power in China.
It’s therefore not uncommon for wealthier families to host banquets for hundreds of guests and funeral processions lasting days.
In traditional Chinese culture, it’s customary for newlyweds to receive cash gifts in red packets, along with other lavish presents such as gold jewellery and jade.
This month, however, no more than 20 wedding banquet tables will be allowed for just 200 guests.
The number of cars for the wedding procession will be capped at 10.
Since 2016, the central government has encouraged citizens to hold modest weddings and funerals in an effort to reduce waste and create a more “civilized” and “ecological” environment.
In response, local governments have pushed for stricter measures – some of which have been criticised as over-the-top and intrusive.
