The Women’s Moral Education School in Beijing places marriage and family education for women at the core of its training. But one of its courses, “Marry a Rich Man,” has aroused more than its share of controversy.
The school opened its doors in May, preceded by an ambitious recruiting drive during July and August of last year. In less than a year, its director claimed recruiting “about 2,800 students.” She added, “It is in a period of rapid development.”
Shao Tong, executive director and founder of the school, told the Beijing Morning news in an interview published on Aug. 3 that “Marry a Rich Man” is a branding slogan.
In the beginning, she said that they found that using advertising slogans such as “How to Make Yourself More Outstanding” did not attract students. Later, she chose the more specific title for the course, saying that it made it much easier to bring in new students.
The director of marketing, Ding Zhenyu, said that among the 30-plus courses offered, four courses, “Self-positioning,” “Read His Mind,” “Tame Your Husband,” and “Harmonious Family,” are among the most well-received.
Shao said that the school targets young women between the ages of 23 through 36. The ratio of single to married students is about 8:2.
Shao also described the student demographics as being “middle class” and added, “Among our students, about one-third is outstanding in appearance, while about three-fifths are considered good-looking.”
When asked what inspired her to open the school, Shao said, “I’ve seen too many women’s miserable experiences in love. They could have avoided this kind of frustration, but no one taught them.”
Tuition depends on the course. Shao told a Beijing News reporter that “Read People and Know People” is a 16-hour course, costing about 2,000 yuan (approximately US$300).
The course “How to Communicate with Successful Men” costs 30,000 to 40,000 yuan, or US$4,700-$6,200 (the specific cost of the course is determined by the time it takes to complete it, which depends on the “student quality.”)
But the course that has stirred up most attention to the school, and no small amount of discussion, is “Marry a Rich Man.”
“The course worships money,” is a common sentiment expressed by Chinese people online. Some feel that the course is too blatantly materialistic, teaching women techniques in how to snag a millionaire or even a billionaire, and that such a crude focus erodes moral values in society.
“It is forewarning of the following: there will be less and less real affection. Women will become more and more consumer-oriented and materialistic. The more developed China’s economy becomes, the lower people’s cultural standards and moral values will become,” netizen “nid258” commented on QQ Weibo, a popular Twitter-like platform.
“What use is merely having money? If the money is not clean, you’re going to be contaminated, too. If he has bad character, you’re going to be ruined,” Riyuexinchen wrote on QQ Weibo.
An expert from the Maple Women’s Psychological Counseling Center, Liu Fengqin, told the Beijing News on Aug. 5 that the name of the course reflects at present the psychological needs of some women.
But at the same time, she said, it contributes to the making of women as men’s accessories, and shows a lack of respect for women.
Well-known Chinese sociologist Li Yinhe tried to explain to Qianjiang Evening News last December why women in China would prefer to be unhappy and rich over content but poor.
She explained that because Chinese have been influenced by atheism promoted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), “most people think that there will be nothing left after one dies. They thus worship money and believe all the happiness is contained only in this life.”
Notwithstanding the school’s apparent popularity among social ladder-climbers as reflected by its enrollees, its legitimacy as a real educational institution has been called into question.
China News reported on Aug. 3 that while it claims itself to be a “training institution,” business records show no proof that the school has actually registered as such. Its business name is: “Beijing Tailikins Information Consulting Co. Ltd.”
Legal experts quoted in the press pointed out that the Women’s Moral Education School in Beijing is not actually a school. It’s a consulting company.
Read the original Chinese article.
