chapter four chinese wedding cai shengqin. content major elements in wedding tradition and morden...

Chapter FourChinese Wedding

Cai Shengqin

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Major Elements in Wedding

Tradition and Morden Ceremony

Etiquettes

CONTENTS

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Introduction

Wedding in China

Marriage is the most important thing in the

life. In China, a traditional wedding is simple

and lively, ceremonious and joyful.

There are some unique features in the

ceremony, but in modern society, esp. in the

city, it is hardly seen any more.

Some of elements is still been kept.

　

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Wedding Paper Cuts

Wedding in China

During the wedding, many families decorate

the window panes of their new houses with

pleasant-looking papercuts portraying

Chinese opera characters, flowers, birds,

butterfly, and fish.

　

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Wedding Paper Cuts

Wedding in China

Double Happiness: the papercut contains 2

Chinese word Xi (喜 happy), and some

other designs, such as dragon and phonix,

flowers, lantern.

　

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Wedding Couplets

Wedding in China

Wedding Couplets （ Couplets, written on

strips of red paper, are a major part of the

Chinese celebration custom ） is just like the

spring festival couplets, posting the both

sides of the gate of groom’s home.

　

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The Bridal Sedan花轿

Wedding in China

The bridal sedan (Huajiao) is the core of

traditional wedding. In wedding, the bride

should sit in the sedan, then be lifted from

her mother’s home to the groom’s home.

Two kinds of sedan: 4- lifter and 8- lifter

dragon sedan phoenix

　

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The Bridal Sedan花轿

Wedding in China

There are so many suites who hold gongs,

umbrellas, fans and so on, besides lifters. In

group, there are more than 10 people at

least, and the occasion is very magnificent.

Bride wears a red veil.

Accompanied with a bridemaid. 　Modern time: cars instead.

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The Ceremony 拜天地

Wedding in China

The wedding ceremony is the

most important part of the

traditional marrige.

The groom stands on the left

side, the bride right by his side,

while the director prompts,

“First bow to the heaven and

earth; second bow to the

parents; third bow to each

other.”

(Bai Tian Di)

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The Ceremony 拜天地

Wedding in China

According to the folk saying,

they will not be the formal

couple until bowing to the

heaven and earth.

If the groom cannot come to this

ceremony for some reason, he

should as his sister to hold a

rooster instead.

(Bai Tian Di)

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The Bridal Chamber洞房

Wedding in China

After taking the brdal sedan, bowing to the heaven, it’s

time for the newlyweds to go to the bridal chamber.

According to the custom, their relatives and friends

(same generation) gets together in the chamber to

banter the newlyweds.

(Nao Dong Fang)

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The Bridal Chamber洞房

Wedding in China

At this time, the new couple will never

get angry even if the teasing games are

a bit outrageous, but will try to skillfully

disolve since the relatives and friends

intend to delight them.

(Nao Dong Fang)

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The Red Package

Wedding in China

Children who greet the bride and groom re

ceive red packets (Hong Bao) , with some

money inside.

The parents on the wedding ceremony

usually give red packages to the bride and

groom after their bowing.

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Wedding Celebration

Wedding in China

In the daytime of the wedding, performances such as a dragon

lantern dance, a lion dance, a land boat dance, a Yangge

dance, walking on stilts and beating drums while dancing will be

staged.

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The Wedding Banquet

Wedding in China

The wedding banquet is being holden to treat all the

relatives and friends after the ceremony. Usually, the bride

and groom will waiting for the relatives at the gate of the

restaurant, while receiving the red package from all

attenders.

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The Wedding Banquet

Wedding in China

Toast (Jingjiu): Bride changes into red

Cheong-sam or Qi-pao after the cerenomy if

they take the morden way in white, toasts to

each table accompanied by the groom and

their parents.

　

Red Color:Couplets and papercuts

Major Elements in

Wedding

The Bridal SedansThe Bride’s Red Veil

Ceremony: Bowing to the Heaven and Earth

Dragon and Lion Dances

Chinese Wedding

Red Package with Money inside

Wedding Banquet and Toasts to All

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Special Etiquette

Wedding and Festivals

Color: Red and white for bride

Dark Suit for the groom

No white for the attenders.

Red Package: prepared

Seats: Seats are always important. Find your

appropriate seat, avoiding offence and

enbarrassing situation.

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Special Etiquette





Rural family: seats order

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Special Etiquette





Rural family: seats order

1 2

3 4

5 6

7 8

Some Other Customs

Trousseau (pei jia)

Three Days ReturnCrying Leave （ ku

jia ）

Other Custom

Ku Jia: Crying Leave

Pei Jia: Trousseau

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Crying Leave（哭嫁）


Crying leave: The bride’s thanks to the

parents’ bringing up.

Tujia zhu: in the west of Hubei province.

天上星多月不明，爹爹为我苦费心，爹的恩情说不尽，提起话头言难尽。一怕我们受饥饿，二怕我们生疾病；三怕穿戴比人丑，披星戴月费苦心。四怕我们无文化，送进学堂把书念，把你女儿养成人，花钱费米恩情深。

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Pei Jia: Trousseau


Pei Jia: ( 陪嫁 ): Trousseau, showing

the wealth of her family, to establish

the self-esteem and confidence for

the future life.

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Pei Jia:Trousseau


Pei Jia: ( 陪嫁 ): Trousseau, as a

marrige portion, come with the bride

to the new family. The more, the

better, for the future respectation.

Cai [email protected]

Chapter Five

Four Deities-Symbols of Auspice

Images of Blessing

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Images of Blessing


Kylin （麒麟）

Phoenix （凤凰）

Tortoise （灵龟）

Dragon （龙）

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Images of Blessing


1. Kylin （麒麟）： The kylin in

legend has a body like a deer in

scutum （鳞） . There is a single

nubby born on its head. The feet

are just like the hooves （蹄） of

horses, and the tail is just like the

oxtail.

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Images of Blessing


The kylin is regarded as a very king

animal with a moral character.

All the emperors in the past

dynasties regarded it as the symbol

of peace.

Copper-casting, and stone-carving.

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Images of Blessing


kylin （麒麟）：Among people, the kylin is also

highly respected.

Paper kylin- south—best wishes

“Kylin Brings the son”-success of a

new generation, best wish for the

family tree continuation.

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Images of Blessing


kylin （麒麟）：

Copper-casting, and stone-carving.

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Four Deities-Symbols:


2. Phoenix （凤凰）：The phoenix has a beautiful crista on

its head and colorful feathers on the

body.

It is an imaginary lucky bird that is

combined from characters of many

other birds and animals.

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Images of Blessing


phoenix （凤凰）：The phoenix is the king of the Birds

Kingdom in Chinese legend, meaning

luck, peace, and rightness.

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Images of Blessing


2. phoenix （凤凰）：The phoenix, with dragon, were

regarded by the emperors as the

symbol of their power and dignity.

The phoenix coronet, the phoenix

carriage and other things that are

related to the phoenix were specially

reserved for the royalty and divine.

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Images of Blessing


Reserved for the royalty:

In ancient China, no one else except

the royalty family can dress the

designs and use the other utensils

with the design.

Otherwise, it would be regarded as

offence to the dignity of the power.

He would be executed, and embroil

the calamity to his whole family.

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Images of Blessing


Dragon and phoenix （龙凤呈祥）：However, the phoenix become a

mascot among the people. Especially

in the traditional Chinese wedding.

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Images of Blessing


Dragon and phoenix （龙凤呈祥）：


• Dragon and phoenix （龙凤呈祥）• And other crafts ：


• The phoenix is the most important decoration on the bridal dress and headwear, signifying luck and happiness.


• In Chinese traditional designs and drawings,the phoenix image is quite popular it brings luck and peace to the people.

• The phoenix is also designed together with other mascots, kylin, crane, pine tree and flowers.



Normal design


• Phoenix and Chu Culture

• Hubei and Hunan, Sichuan, Henan

• Hubei is the center of ancient Chu state.

• Jingzhou was the capital city in the Chu State. This is Why

Jingzhou take phoenix as their totem.


• Phoenix and Chu Culture

• Jingzhou was the capital city in the Chu State.

• Designs with phoenix

China

• Qin State• Chu State


• 3. Dragon

• The dragon is regarded as the first important animal of Chinese totem and it is the most important mascot.

• The dragon was born from the imagination of the people just like phoenix and Kylin.


• 3. Dragon

• It has a bull’s head, a deer’s horn, a lobster’s eyes, an eagle’s claws, a snake’s body, a lion’s tail, and is covered with scutum.

• It is a combination of different kinds of animals.


• 3. Dragon

• In the imagination, it can walk on land, swim under water, and fly in the sky.

• It has incredible power.

• Over thousands of years in China, the emperors treated it as the symbol of power and dignity, and in mind of common people.


• 3. Dragon

• On the roof of palaces and temples, on the devices of royalty, the dragon is painted and sculptured.

• Dragon dance, dragon boat, in the festivals.

• The symbol of whole nation


• 4. The tortoise

• The tortoise is an exception in the 4 lucky animals, as it really exists and has the longest life span among animals.


• 4. The tortoise• It is regarded as the symbol of

longevity.• It is said that it has ability to

foresee the life.• In old China, before significant

activities, the fortuneteller will take the shell of tortoise, and read the future according to the cracks in the shell.


• 4. The tortoise

• The tortoise is an Saint Tortoise always being put in the front of gate or temple.

• Crane, pine trees

Thank you!

chapter four chinese wedding cai shengqin. content major elements in wedding tradition and morden...

Documents

ceremony wedding

wedding ceremony

wedding tradition

content introduction

bridal sedan wedding

bridal chamber wedding

red package wedding

core of traditional