Guideline to help prepare newlyweds for marital life

Newlyweds read their wedding vows after getting their marriage certificates in Huai'an, Jiangsu province, on Aug 25. ZHAO QIRUI/FOR CHINA DAILY Local authorities in China have been asked to compile teaching materials and roll out tutoring sessions aimed at preparing young couples for married life and to introduce more ceremonial elements to the taking of vows and issuing of certificates at marriage registrars, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Tuesday. The premarital tutoring will cover marriage culture, family responsibility, communication skills, family development plans and other areas, and will be conducted in communities, on campuses and at workplaces, the guideline said. "The policy has good intentions as marital success lies in management," said Zhang Jing, a Beijing-based researcher on marriage and family issues. Wan Fei, a retired police officer in Hubei province who founded the Under the Blue Sky Women and Children's Rights Association, a domestic violence concern group, said the sessions could help young couples learn about managing their emotions, crucial in keeping friction from escalating into violence.