Communism Meets Cupid

Chivalry ain't dead, baby, it's just being stored at the Post Office. Partnering China's rapid economic growth is an astronomical rise in divorce rates. Couples splitting up has quadrupled in recent years, rising to 21,000 registered separations in 2010. Launched in conjunction with The Beijing Civil Rights Bureau, The Beijing Post has stepped in with an inventive new way to try and combat the seven year itch.

Newly weds are given the opportunity to write love letters to each other, along with a copy of their vows, which are then sealed and only sent after seven years of being stored at the post. According to China Daily, this is around about the time couples often get hit with a case of the wandering eye.

The scheme is aimed at saving some marriages in the future which may be in need of rekindling and reminding of why they fell in love.

There have been mixed views expressed in response to this new project. Some saying if a marriage is on the rocks, having the past jump in to remind you exactly how far you have drifted might just be the last nail in the coffin. However, there's not doubt the idea definitely taps into the romantic in a lot of us - personally I'm always down for warm and fuzzies.

The love letter service was launched on 9/9 - or "jiu jiu" in Chinese, which appropriately translates to 'forever'. With all the admin involved pre marriage, it will undoubtedly be a more enjoyable document for couples to put together and who knows, might even ease that awkward chat around signing a pre-nup.

In so far as the success of it, only time (seven years to be specific) will tell. But you've got to hand it to the postal service for putting on the Cupid pants and injecting a bit of fun and romance back into snail mail.