A wedding in China is not just a solemn event, it is a huge responsibility that the young man takes on. Therefore, the organization and conduct of wedding ceremonies here are treated with increased attention. It is not enough for a Chinese groom to propose and receive the bride’s consent.
Young people must observe all existing traditions. This applies to matchmaking, engagement, and ceremonial registration, which often takes place after the wedding banquet. A Chinese wedding follows ancient rituals. For each ritual there are special rules and procedures, failure to comply with which can nullify all the efforts of the young people and their relatives.
Traditional wedding in China
Previously, all marriages between young people were concluded solely by agreement between the parents of the future bride and groom. Preparations for the wedding and the celebration itself included six rituals:
- The first visit of someone from the groom's family to the bride's house with a gift and an engagement proposal.
- The second visit again with a gift to find out the name and surname of the bride, her parents, the date of birth of the young woman and her place in seniority in the family.
- A message to the bride's family that the groom's parents agree to the marriage.
- Sending a gift to the newlywed's house as a sign of consolidation of the engagement.
- Third visit to arrange a favorable wedding day.
- Wedding celebration.
The second visit was one of the most important, without which the Chinese wedding would never have taken place. Many wedding traditions of the peoples of the world provide for the mandatory consent of higher powers for marriage, and the Celestial Empire is no exception. The bride's data was found out in order to compare the horoscopes of the young people and find out whether such a union would be successful, and to set a favorable date for the wedding.
Venue for the celebration
The best place for a Chinese-style wedding can be a Chinese restaurant, if there is one in the place where the newlyweds live. The premises here are pre-decorated, the waiters know everything about Chinese traditions, and the chef knows how to prepare traditional Chinese dishes. If you don’t have such an establishment in mind, then light tents located in nature are perfect for the warm season. For the autumn-winter period, you can opt for a cozy, quiet establishment, which is located outside the city, away from the bustle of the city.
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wedding ceremony
On the appointed day, the groom went to the bride with his retinue and gifts (ransom). After presenting them to the music and explosions of firecrackers, and bowing to his parents, he and his betrothed went to his house, where the main celebration took place. All guests were given wedding flowers or images of the hieroglyph “Si,” which means “happiness.” They could be pinned to clothes or used as hair decorations.
Next, according to established traditions, at the Chinese wedding there was a bowing ceremony. It was necessary to bow:
- heaven and earth
- family elders,
- ancestors (family plaque),
- parents,
- guests,
- each other.
After which the young people had to cross their arms, drink a cup of wine and tie each other’s hands with a red ribbon. This custom, by the way, also exists in Bengali weddings, only there the hands are tied with a red thread. Now the bride and groom became a family and were considered one. And it all ended with a hearty meal.
Invitations
For your guests, the wedding begins with invitations. To inform guests about the theme of the wedding celebration, invitations should be designed in Chinese style: red, gold ornaments, hieroglyphs.
An invitation card can be decorated with floral patterns, sakura branches, and images of mythical creatures: a dragon and a phoenix, which personify the masculine and feminine principles. The invitation text can be written in calligraphic font.
It is better to send invitations in advance, approximately one to two months before the expected day of celebration. So that the invited guests can support the style of the wedding, invite them to choose outfits in red or gold.
Modern wedding in China
Today, the Chinese wedding has become more democratic and not as long in ceremony as the traditional one. Young people have more freedom in choosing their future spouse and can enter into love marriages. But the family still plays an important role. When lovers decide to get married, they must first visit the bride's house and then the groom's house for an official visit. Families in turn give gifts for their child's significant other, thus blessing the couple.
date
The choice of the day on which the wedding will take place remains an important event and is also consistent with higher powers. Therefore, lovers often have to wait several years for a favorable date for marriage. But there is a loophole. Registration and a traditional wedding in China are different concepts. Therefore, the bride and groom can officially register their marriage on any day. But it is possible to celebrate the celebration according to all the required traditions only on a certain date.
Farewell to family
This Chinese tradition has something in common with the Russian one, when the bride mourns the loss of her relatives. After all, after the wedding, she becomes part of her husband’s family. Nowadays, this means that before the wedding, a girl spends some time at home, communicating with her family and remembering happy moments associated with her family and childhood.
Photoshoot
This item can easily be added to the list of features of a wedding in China. The fact is that the photo shoot takes place long before the wedding itself. The bride and groom are photographed in different outfits, usually rented ones, in different locations. And at the wedding, they show the guests a ready-made wedding photo album. It is not customary for them to invite a photographer to the wedding itself.
Bride's outfit
According to ancient Chinese traditions, the bride's head was supposed to be decorated with a crown in the form of a phoenix, which symbolizes a woman in Chinese mythology. His image was also supposed to be on the wedding dress. Traditionally, the bride's outfit should be red, which is a symbol of happiness in the culture of many eastern countries. Moreover, it had to be richly decorated with embroidery and various precious stones and, for the most part, like at a Buddhist wedding, it was made of silk.
A modern Chinese wedding dress may be in the traditional European white color, but it must have elements of red. The bride can change three outfits during the wedding, so one dress can be completely white, the second red, and the third a combination of two colors. Here everything depends on the wishes of the young woman.
Wedding ceremony and banquet
Of the ancient customs, the ritual of bowing has been preserved, without which not a single wedding in China is complete today. Afterwards, the newlyweds drink a glass of wine tied with a ribbon. The newlyweds no longer tie each other's hands. The banquet itself does not last long - a few hours. No partying until the morning. At a Chinese wedding, there is usually no dancing and no wedding cake. Sweets are simply placed on the table in baskets. And the most popular entertainment is karaoke.
Present
What do they give for a wedding? Practical people live in China, so money placed in a red envelope is considered a traditional gift. Sometimes it is placed in a red box tied with a gold ribbon. You can also put some souvenirs in it: delicious tea, incense, Chinese delicacies, and so on.
By the way, some modern Chinese newlyweds, as the portal Svadbaholik.ru found out, completely refuse a big celebration and limit themselves to painting. Some people do this to save money, while others believe that a wedding is a holiday only for two.
Bride's outfit
Previously, a young girl got married with her eyebrows and eyelashes plucked. This served as a kind of self-renewal. The face was covered with a thick layer of light powder, and the lips were painted with bright red lipstick. Today such makeup is not required. Traditions allow for the usual festive, but discreet makeup.
The traditional wedding dress of a Chinese bride is represented by a red robe embroidered with rhinestones. It must have embroidery in the form of dragons and a phoenix. After the wedding ceremony, the newlyweds keep the outfit as a family heirloom.
The bride's headdress is a crown, which is decorated with feathers, beads, and beautiful medallions. Usually the girl's face was covered with a red veil. It’s not for nothing that the Chinese prefer red. He is considered the most cheerful, happy, bringing good luck.
Site selection
One of the most picturesque areas of Beijing is the Shichahai Lake area. I found a boat club there that agreed to rent out its pier. And now, having almost agreed, my fiance and I walk along the lake and see some interesting reflections of light through the fence. I walked past this fence, past the lacy Chinese windows hundreds of times, always trying to look inside, but the gate was closed. But this time I managed to come in.
It turned out to be London House, a bar, restaurant and event center that was being built for the Beijing Olympics. There was a lot of greenery in the enclosed courtyard. When the crows greeted us from the birdcage (“Ni hao!”), we decided that the wedding would definitely take place here.
How to apply?
When decorating a Chinese-style wedding, the main colors are red and gold. They symbolize love, joy, happiness and prosperity. You can decorate a formal hall using textiles in appropriate colors.
A beautiful detail in the decoration of the banquet hall will be panels with Chinese ancient scenes, as well as canvases or paintings depicting a phoenix, dragon and various hieroglyphs denoting words such as love, family, happiness.
To decorate the wedding hall, use hanging decor in the form of paper pompoms, garlands or lanterns. It is very effective to use hanging paper lanterns along with lighting.
When creating a Chinese style, use all sorts of interesting accessories: fans, umbrellas, porcelain vases, figurines, bamboo rugs, decorative screens, etc. Flowers should be added to the decor of a Chinese-style banquet hall. In China they are very concerned about nature, so try to use live flowers in pots rather than cut ones. Orchids, bamboo, and decorative bonsai are ideal.
For Chinese-style wedding table settings, use red tablecloths and napkins. Don't forget about traditional Chinese porcelain tableware. Cutlery and dishes should be in harmony in color.
