A-Chinese-Tradition-2

AChinesetraditionTheChinesepeople,Ifoundout,holdontomanytraditionsthatarebothinterestingandpuzzling.Forinstance,womencustomarilywalkbehindtheirhusbands,andoftenthreeorfourgenerationslivetogetherinthesamehouse.Noneofthesecustomstroubledme,however,untilthedayIfoundoutthatmyweddingdresswastobered.ThisisAmerica,Ithought,notChina,andIamnotgoingtomakemyselflooksillybywearingthatdress.Whatwouldmyfriendsandfamilythink?Myfuturemother-in-lawsooncaughtwindofmyreluctancetowearthedressandcametovisitme.Iknowitisdifficultforyoutoacceptwearingaredweddingdress,shesaid.Iwouldliketohelpyouunderstandourmarriagecustoms.AllChinesewomenmarryinareddressbecausethiscolorsymbolizesgreathappiness,goodluck,andabrightfuture.Tomarryinawhitedresswouldbringverybadluck,forwhiterepresentsmourninganddeepsorrow.Hearingthis,IfelttherewasnowaythatIcouldrefusetowearthatdressonmyweddingday.Thenshesmiledandsaid,Youmustpromisetopassonthisparticulartraditiontoyourowndaughteroneday.Oldwaysshouldneverbeforgotten.Nowsomanyyearshavepassedsincethatday,butsomethingsneverchange.Andoneofthemistheattitudeofpeoplegrowingupinanewgeneration.WhenItoldmyowndaughterthehistoryofthereddress,shereplied,I'mnotwearingthatdress!