Chinese Wedding Ceremony 中国婚礼习俗介绍

ChineseWeddingCeremonyPart1TraditionalChineseWeddingMatch-making（说媒）Engagement（定亲）Betrothalpresents（聘礼）Meetingthebride（迎娶）Threebows（拜堂）Drinkingwedlockwine（喝交杯酒）Sixnecessaryprocedures:HaircombingceremonyAtthedawnoftheweddingday,thebride'shairneedstobecombedfourtimesandeachhasaspecialmeaning:•Firstcombing,togetherallyourlives.一梳梳到尾•Secondcombing,harmonyinyourmarriage.二梳百年好合•Thirdcombing,blessedwithmanychildrenandgrandchildren.三梳子孙满堂•Fourthcombing,blessedwithlongevity.四梳白发齐眉Cryingmarriage哭嫁Thebride,coveredbyaredhead-kerchief,mustcrywithhermother.Itmeanstothankparentsforraisingherup.Kickthecurtainofthesedanchair踢轿门Itmeanstokickedoffthebride‘spride.去傲气Stridethefirepan跨火盆Itmeanstocounteractevilforce.辟邪ObeisanceThreeworships：•worshiptheheavensandtheearth拜天地•worshipthegroom‘sancestorsandparents拜高堂•worshipeachother夫妻对拜IntothebridalchamberLifttheveil掀盖头Lifttheveilbytheweighbeam.Itmeanswell-contentandeverythingisgoingwellaswishes.Cross-cuppedwine交杯酒Itmeansnevertobeseparated.永不分离AllInOne合为一体Part2ModernChineseWeddingWeddingphotoBeforetheChineseWeddingDayforbrideInpreparingtoleaveherhome,theprospectivebridewaspermittedtoretreatfromregularhouseholdchores.Shelivedinaseparatepartofthehouse,accompaniedbyherclosestfriends.Thiswasatimewhenthebrideandheryoungwomenfriendsmournthebride'sseparationfromherfamily.BeforetheChineseWeddingDayforgroomHowdifferentthebachelorpartyoftoday'sAmericansocietyisfromthetraditionalChinesecustomofpreparingthebridalbed.Itwasthegroom'sjobtooverseetheinstallationofthebridalbedonthedaybeforethewedding.Afterthebedwasinplace,asanomenoffertility,childrenwereinvitedtopileontoit.Reddates,oranges,lotusseeds,peanuts,pomegranatesandotherfruitswerescatteredonthebedandthechildrenhadthejoyfultaskofscramblingforthegoodies.1、TheWeddingParadeOntheweddingday,afleetof“nuptialcars”isorganizedbythebridegroom’sfamilytoescortthebridefromherparents’housetotheweddingreception.Fromafunctionalperspective,thesecarsareamodernsubstitutionofbridalsedanchairsusedinancienttimes.2、Door-BlockingThegroommustpassthroughagameknownasdoor-blocking”beforehecanpickupthebridetogototheweddingparty.Whenthegroom,togetherwithhisbestmanandotherfriendsandrelatives,arrivesatthebride’shouse,thedoorislockedfromtheinsidebyherfriendswhowouldthenchallengethegroomwithsomedemandingtasks,recountingthecouples’romantictales.Topersuadethemtoopenthedoor,hemustsatisfyallhis“judges”withtheanswers.Or,hemayresorttobribingthepanelistswithhongbao(redenvelopswithcashgifts).Normally,thejudgeswillnotoverdoitandthegamelastsonlyforashortperiodoftime.3、EntryoftheHappyCouple(fireworks)Tofurtherhighlightthefestivalatmosphere,fireworksaresetoffontheweddingdayeitherwhenthecouplearrivesatorentersintotheceremonysite.However,thiscustomisincreasinglyonthewavenowadaysowingtothefactthatmanyChinesecitieshavebannedfireworkdisplaybasedonenvironmentalconsiderations.Asaresult,confettiisoftenusedintheplaceoffireworks.4、GaiKouChaThecoupleisguidedbythehosttoserveteatoeachother’sparents.Afterthis,theywillstarttoaddresstheirparents-in-lawasfatherandmother,ratherthanuncleandauntastheyusedtocallthem.Theparentswouldthenpresentcashgiftswrappedinredenvelops,knownasgaikoufei,totheirson/daughter-in-law,andtheamountofcashcontainedshouldhaveauspiciousimplications.5、TakingtheUnionofWineCupsAnotherimportantpartofatypicalChineseweddingistakingtheunionofwinecups.Thisishowitworks:thebrideandgroom,eachholdingaglassofwine,crosstheirforearmsanddrinkthewinefromoneaonther’sglasses,meaningthattheywillremainloyaltoeachotherthroughthickandthinfortherestoftheirlives.6、ChangeWeddingDressDuringmoderndayChineseweddings,thebridechangesherdressatleastonce—thewhitegowninwhichsheenterstheceremonyhallwillbechangedlateronduringthebanquettoaredCheongsam.She,asthespotlightofthewedding,needstomakethemostofherspecialdaytoimpresstheguestswithhermulti-facetedbeauty.7、TheWeddingBanquetChineseweddingsculminateintheweddingbanquetwhichisalsothehighlightoftheentireproceedings.7、TheWeddingBanquetThebanquetisnormallyorganizedbythegroom’sfamily.MarriageisregardedbyChinesepeopleasanonce-in-a-lifetimeevent,andtheweddingbanquet,therefore,meansalottobothfamilies.Fortheparents,dishesservedduringthebanquetandthenumberoftablesaredirectlyrelatedtotheirreputationamongrelativesandfriends.Asaresult,thedishesareoftenlavishlypreparedtothehigheststandardpossibleinbothquantitativeandqualitativeterms.what'smoreToday,honeymoonhasbecomepopularallacrosstheworld,andChinaisnoexception.AChineseweddingisalwaysfollowedbyahoneymoonusuallyspentatascenictouristresort—ahappymemorytobeimprintedonthemindofthenewly-wedcouple.SpecialweddingsGroupweddingBiketogetmarriedTravelweddingThankyou!♥♥♥♥♥