Newspaper Ad Begs Son to Come Home for New Year: “I Won’t Force Marriage”

Newspaper Ad Begs Son to Come Home for New Year: “I Won’t Force Marriage”
Jan 16, 2014 By eChinacities.com

On January 14 Australian newspaper, the Chinese Melbourne Daily, published a front page full page ad. The ad, a message from a mother to her son begging him to return home this year. The title of the ad was “Letter to a son” and the message was short: “Peng, I’ve called several times but you don’t answer, or perhaps you don’t see. We (father and mother) won’t force marriage on to you. This year come home for New Year. Love your mother.” The letter has obviously caused a little commotion online.

Talking to Mr. Miao, the one who posted the ad it seems that the boys family live in Guangzhou. He went to Melbourne to study and then stayed on after to find work. In recent years they have urged him to return to China to find a girlfriend and get married, but he doesn’t want to. The son has become increasingly anxious about this matter, especially when his parents push him on it and so now he no longer answers his phone.

In order to speak to him, his mother reached out to the Chinese language newspaper and they agreed to print the ad.

Source: news.21cn.com

Warning:The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.

Keywords: newspaper ad begs son to come home for New Years

11 Comments

All comments are subject to moderation by eChinacities.com staff. Because we wish to encourage healthy and productive dialogue we ask that all comments remain polite, free of profanity or name calling, and relevant to the original post and subsequent discussion. Comments will not be deleted because of the viewpoints they express, only if the mode of expression itself is inappropriate.

Sjama

The problem in China What parents say when you are in... -middleschool: you are too young for a relationship, concentrate on your studies -highschool: you are too young for a relationship, concentrate on your studies -university: concentrate on you studies, now relationships are not important for you But just when you finish university, the first question which comes from Chinese parents is: "When will you finally get married? You are already so old!"

Jan 24, 2014 21:34 Report Abuse

juanisaac

I hope China can avoid another loveless marriage. These arranged marriages bring little to the children when they are forced upon them.

Jan 18, 2014 22:17 Report Abuse

Guest2404984

You cant overlook parental love, baby come back home. East and west home is the best

Jan 18, 2014 18:13 Report Abuse

mike168229

Of course, that's why so many are trying to emigrate.

Jan 19, 2014 14:27 Report Abuse

FHJZ

this is the result of sending their precious child for overseas studies..they enjoyed the freedom there and many parents lost their child there..

Jan 17, 2014 12:00 Report Abuse

cooter

Are you sure about the translation of that last line? 爱你的妈妈 reads a lot more like a suggestion or command to "Love your mother" versus "Love you, mum". Cultural differences, I'm sure.

Jan 17, 2014 08:40 Report Abuse

coineineagh

Great example. I'm sure it was written as a request, but since the expression is an imperative, it will just remind the son of wy he stays away from them in the first place. The culture is so deeply roted in the language, that his parents will likely never speak or think any differently than they do now. I'm not convinced by their heartfelt plea to change, and the son likely isn't either.

Jan 17, 2014 09:18 Report Abuse

adminanswer

Thanks for spotting. Change has been made.

Jan 17, 2014 09:28 Report Abuse

mike695ca

Though your right, it does read like a command. It isnt. It really does mean " love mom". As she is from Guangzhou, im guessing that she is cantonese, so when they use mandarin, they make it quite "cantonesey". And the cantonese language has alot more similarities to English. Such as phrases like this.

Jan 17, 2014 10:18 Report Abuse

cooter

Interesting input mike. I've no idea about cantonese, other than I can't understand a lick of it! But I think the admin made a good change....sorta leaves it up to the reader's own interpretation. Maybe some more optimistic people will just subliminally insert a comma so it becomes "Love, your mother".

Jan 18, 2014 08:54 Report Abuse

sharkies

Because he has been living in Melbourne he has now been exposed to how civilised people live and has seen the light.

Jan 16, 2014 22:20 Report Abuse