"They want to be regarded as equal to men but at the same time they want to be takers rather than givers in the marriage contract. They want to have their cake and to eat it too."

Well said!  They are opportunists, thy want to have the cake and eat it too! They want equal rights with men but demand men be the breadwinner while they spend their own earnings on themselves! The traditional Chinese belief that men be main breadwinner and supporter of family will never go away, even when women achieve fiancial independence!

How many independent women are there in the very top echelons of political power in China? "Women hold up half of the sky" but they definitely will demand the house, car and expensive wedding as part of the wedding  deal. They want to be regarded as equal to men but at the same time they want to be takers rather than givers in the marriage contract. They want to have their cake and to eat it too.

People values truely acceptable personal traits more than money more and more in society, e.g. honesty, sincerity/loyalty, social or family responsibilities; Because without these fundamental good values, our families can hardly continue to exist and therefore our society won't prosper with steady units to support its development.

Their parents will never forego the dowry, which to them is the price the man must pay to marry their daughters.  Their parents see it as their right to demand payment for having spent years rasiing ther daughters and giving them a good education, making them independent financially!

It's no different from farmers fattenng their pigs, then sending them to market to fetch a high price! Chinese parents do likewise, selling their daughters to the highest bidder, to men with house, car, good jobs, from wealthy family.

Chinese women will never give up their right to downpayment; just remember they demand 'house and car' a prerequisites for men to talk marriage with them!  Your opinion is theoretical, in reality it doesn't work.  

Downpayment or even dowry should not be made mandatory.

Aftrer all, what glues both together will need to be more than money in order to survive the relationship through the trials and tribulations of life together ahead.

A lot of unnecessary anxiety has been generated when couples have to abide by some long ago fashion of giving cash and/or kind in order to be together for life.

If it is to prove the ability of the groom to afford support of the bride, how would anyone know that poor won't become rich or rich won't become poor? And marrying for monetary support alone is a shaky enterprise if the character is not worthy of the relationship.

While the upcoming year is Year of the Metal Ox, tying the knot here is not about buying a cow.

ren has spoken.

An independent person will and should be independent from all forms of social defined confinement to ensure that status.

Both the man and the woman who will marry each other, shall take the lead to start married life on their own two feet.

Show the world they are really independent and make their own living by earning it with their own ability to raise their new family.