- A village in Yunnan, China faced backlash over strict marriage and conduct fines
- The notice fined marrying outsiders 1,500 yuan and premarital pregnancy 3,000 yuan
- Fines included 500 yuan annually for cohabitation and 3,000 yuan for early childbirth
A small village in China has come under heavy criticism online after strict and unusual rules about marriage and relationships were made public. A controversy erupted in Linkang village, in southwestern China's Yunnan province. Pictures of a notice titled “Village Rules: Everyone is Equal” went viral on social media after being shared by netizens. The notice outlined various fines related to marriage, pregnancy, and personal conduct, sparking a heated debate online, reported the South China Morning Post.
According to the notice shown in the pictures, people marrying someone from outside Yunnan province would be fined 1,500 yuan. Women who become pregnant before marriage would be fined 3,000 yuan. Couples living together without being married would be fined 500 yuan annually.
The notice also stated that if a child is born within 10 months of marriage, the parents would be fined 3,000 yuan. It also stipulated that if a couple argues and village officials are called to resolve the dispute, each person would have to pay 500 yuan. Those who cause disturbances or create trouble in the village while intoxicated would be fined between 3,000 and 5,000 yuan.
Additionally, anyone spreading rumors or making unfounded accusations in the village would face a fine of 500 to 1,000 yuan.
There is no precise information available regarding the village's population or economic status. On December 16, an official from the Mengding Town government told Red Star News that the notice was “quite unusual” and had since been removed. The official said the notice was posted by the village committee on its own initiative and without reporting to or obtaining approval from the township government.
