Decades of happiness for arranged marriage couple

A Chinese couple whose parents began arranging their marriage when they were just three and four years old have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.

Liu Mingyiand and Li Xinrang from Zhengzhou got married in 1937 when they were both in their early 20s, despite knowing very little about each other. Their parents had thought that they should become husband and wife because at the time it was customary for the children of families who were friends to do so, the China Daily reports.

Commenting on the arranged marriage, Li said: "I was actually quite scared to marry him because we had never really seen each other before the wedding. We were not like the young people now, who get to know each other and then fall in love before getting married. But I felt pretty good when I got that first look at my husband."

After they married and moved in together, they became close and eventually fell in love. Now aged 91, Li and her 90-year-old husband are still together and Wu Biao, director of the management committee of the residential quarters where the couple live, believes that they are a very happy couple who are very dedicated to each other.

"They love and support each other, even though they don't show it in public. Other people in the community admire their devotion to one another, and young people really envy the old couple for their simple and lasting love," he said.