After exploring three 'ideal types' of rural marriage payment practice,the author finds that rural marital payment practice is undergoing a change from marital reimbursement to marital subsidization and mutual affinal benefits.The change reflects the vicissitude of social structure and culture.The author analyzes the rural social transformation from three aspects:the change of old-age support only from son to both from son and daughter;the shift of emphasis from family relationship to affinal relationship,and the increasing awaren...