Illustrations: Peter C. Espina/GT

Avarice has seeped into marriage. Some people have chosen to use the sacred knot to make a fast buck. According to a recent report that went viral online, 11 members of the same family in East China's Zhejiang Province got divorced and re-married 23 times in 15 days in March. To take advantage of a loophole in local government's rules of compensating residents in a village renovation project, they decided to tie the knot. Four of the 11 were detained for allegedly committing fraud. Seven of them were freed on bail. This wasn't the first such case of abuse of what is called "fake divorce" in China. Some couples divorced to bypass housing purchase limit regulations, under which one couple could only have one or two registered houses. However, such tricks not only damage the rule of law but are also risky as couples are known to have got really divorced after faking separation. The effectiveness of laws determines the effectiveness of marriage. Before challenging the laws, people should think twice - is it worth it?