留學生在中國 第41期:戀愛與婚姻 Love and Marriage

Chapter 45 Love and Marriage

第45章 戀愛與婚姻

David: So please tell me what you think about love and marriage in China?

你怎麼看待中國人的愛情和婚姻？

You: I think love and marriage is very traditional in China. People who have known each other some time, get married, whereas in other countries, they can live together without marrying.

我覺得中國人在愛情和婚姻方面十分傳統。人們彼此瞭解一段時間以後才會結婚。而在一些國家，人們不結婚也可以住在一起。

David: Yeah, in the United States, the concept of love and marriage has adopted modern ideas. I think in traditional China people don't have a choice of who they would marry sometimes.

對。美國人對愛情和婚姻的理解源自現代觀念；我覺得在中國古代，人們沒有選擇婚姻的自由。

You: Because in those times, it's difficut for young men and women to communicate with eachothers.

因為那時候，青年男女很少有機會交流。

David: Very difficult to know each other? Why?

很難相互瞭解？為什麼？

You: Because there were some rules, for example, boys and girls couldn't be alone in the same place and they needed chaperons if they went out on a date. Girls had to stay at home and learn how to be good wives, while their parents arranged their marriages.

因為有規定。男孩和女孩是不能單獨約會的。如果有約會的話，都會由侍女陪同。女孩子應該規規矩矩呆在家裡並學會怎樣做一個好妻子，而她的婚姻是由父母包辦的。

David: Arranged marriages？

包辦婚姻？

You: Yeah.

是的。

David: But now people have more choice in who they get married to.

但現在人們有婚姻自由了。

You: Yeah, but I have a feeling that it's really hard to find a good spouse..

確實是這樣的。但我覺得要找一個稱心如意的物件是很難的。