Marriage customs in Inner Mongolia

The date of marriage is chosen by the Lama, and the bride's family is informed through the matchmaker and witnesses. The matchmaker and relatives and friends of the man's family will send the bride price to the woman's family. A few days before marriage, men and women usually slaughter cattle and sheep to make preparations, clean or build new yurts, prepare alcohol and cigarettes, make or buy beautiful Mongolian robes, Mongolian boots and riding boots, and inform relatives and friends. Newly-married houses are usually tied in the northwest corner, which is close to the yurts of elders (parents), so the yurts of relatives and friends are arranged in the east, and the yurts used in the kitchen are tied in the farthest position in the northeast corner.

On the wedding day, the man's family was beaming and in full swing, and the groom put on new clothes in an auspicious and happy atmosphere. Generally, it is a red forged crown, or a conical red tassel hat in the style of "Buryat". Wearing a robe, a golden broadband around his waist, boots on his feet, a bow with an arrow and a hada around his waist, he looks very mighty and handsome. The matchmaker and the best man are all dressed up. When everything was ready, the groom and the best man raised their glasses and sang wedding songs in the cheers.

The general idea is:

The wedding handed down by Genghis Khan is our happiest time.

Let's enjoy singing on the vast grassland and be happy forever.

After the singing, the groom, surrounded by everyone, rode on a fine horse and ran away to the woman's house. Usually when the groom and others arrive at the woman's house, the yurt of the woman's house is closed, pretending not to know, and closing the door; Or bridesmaids and relatives and friends of the bride form a semicircle in front of the door, as if refusing to get married. At this time, a respected and eloquent wedding compliment came out and politely said to the woman's family: Today is an auspicious day, and we got married according to the engagement. The woman's house is still blocked, asking questions loudly with Mongolian folk songs, so that those who wish to sing can answer.

The bridesmaids sang first-

What symbolizes innocence? What marks happiness and brilliance? What gift is this? Can you take it to the girl's house?

The complier answers and sings-

Pure white milk in the morning, sweeter at noon and mellow ghee at night. All these precious gifts have been brought.

The bridesmaids sang again-

In the past, Senecio was famous far and near, like an eagle galloping. Have you ever married a beautiful girl with it?

The complier answers and sings-

Among Genghis Khan's horses, white jade BMW colt and swift horse galloping in the blue sky and white clouds were painted here.

I hope that the people of this song will respond very positively. The bridesmaids have no choice but to open the door and invite the groom and the wedding reception team in.

After the groom enters the room, he first worships Buddha and Vulcan, then presents Hada, wine and other gifts to the bride's parents, and then presents snuff bottles to relatives and friends of the bride's family to show his respect. My parents-in-law came with the guests, sat down in the main seat and entertained them with rich whole sheep wine. At the banquet, first cut a piece of mutton to worship the ancestors, and then the bride and groom propose a toast. The host and guests happily raised their glasses and sang for the happiness of the new couple. After the ceremony, the girls and boys began to laugh at the groom. Alashan League and Yike Zhao Meng "break the bones of the sheep's neck", which have different tastes, and require the groom to break the cooked sheep's neck to test the groom's strength and wisdom. In order to increase the difficulty, it is often necessary to insert a wicker or chopsticks into the bone marrow of a sheep's neck. Horqin's "sheep are good at spitting" (also called sheep turning) struggle is also very poetic.

The woman's family will send someone to see her off. As the departure time approached, the bride wore a bright red veil, a pink Mongolian robe, a wide green ribbon around her waist and long riding boots, which made her look particularly fit. In the farewell toast, the bride rode around her yurt three times, crying to her parents and sisters who lived together day and night, telling each other love, gratitude and friendship, and reluctantly saying goodbye.

At this time, my mother often cries and sings. Father's songs can't be sung by himself, and girls usually sing instead. After the parents finished singing, the bride, accompanied by the bridesmaid, set off on a journey with the groom's wedding team. Brides always walk slowly, deliberately falling behind, and will be laughed at if they walk fast. Both the wedding team and the farewell team want to go to the man's house first, and the two sides run on the road and chase each other for fun.

Before marriage, the bride and groom walked around the yurt three times. After dismounting, both of them used whips to pass through two piles of flourishing fires, indicating the purity and faithfulness of love and symbolizing the prosperity, happiness and purity of married life. The bride and groom worship Buddha and kitchen god first. When worshipping the stove, first light a bright red fire on the stove, the newlyweds kneel side by side, and the groom's knees are pressed on the bride's robe to show that men are noble and women are virtuous; At the same time, the groom puts his right hand in the sun-shaped part of the white cloth pocket, and the bride puts his left hand in the moon-shaped part of the white cloth pocket, holding hands to show that he is United as one and will never part. Once again, I paid homage to my parents, relatives and friends, met my sister-in-law and presented Bai Hada and snuff bottles to each other. The groom also paid homage to the relatives and friends of the bride.