One couple, two apartments, different surnames for the children: how ‘two places to stay’ is shaping families in China

By Xiaoying Qi, Associate Professor, School of Arts and Humanities, Australian Catholic University

During fieldwork in cities in China I came across a new marital practice, locally described as liang-tou-dun, literally “two places to stay”.

A bride and groom, each an only child of their respective family, receive from each set of parents a wedding apartment. The young couple thus has two marriage apartments which they may occupy at different times.

If a couple with “two places to stay” has two children, it is likely one will have the father’s surname and the other the mother’s. This ensures that the familial lines of both families continue – but it can also…

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