Brief introduction of marriage customs in Xuzhou

Although there have been customs about marriage since ancient times, there are always some established customs and habits in their respective places due to the differences in actual situation and development. What are the customs in Xuzhou culture? Generally speaking, it is inseparable from those three books and six agreements, parents' orders and matchmakers' words, but there are always some differences.

Pick an auspicious day.

Marriage between a man and a woman is a major event in life, which is related to the prosperity of the family and the continuation of future generations ... so we can't act rashly. Three media and six certificates, winning the prize, changing posts and passing on Cambodia are essential, and "auspicious day" should also be chosen for marriage. As the saying goes, "Look at a good day", which means "Choose your luck".

In the old customs, men usually choose two auspicious days, one in half a month; One is to let the woman choose in the second half of the month. In some areas, we also pay attention to animal signs. There is a folk proverb: "greet chickens and rabbits in a positive way;" : second, eight tiger monkeys; Sanjiu snake pig; Fourth, ten dragons and ten dogs; Cattle and sheep five, eleven; Sixth, the horse and the mouse. "However, it is usually on the second day and the second day of the lunar calendar, such as the second day, the fourth day, the sixth day and the tenth day of each month, among which there are more" six ",so it is called" six or six ". In rural areas, we should avoid the busy farming season, and "gold lays the floor and the old and the young bend over", which is too much for everyone. Generally, cities like to choose holidays or two-day sundays.

According to the saying of "hometown" in the past, the delivery period must be carried out in written form, and a special person is sent to carry a red bag and wrap it in a "worship box" with wedding documents, moxa sticks, wheat bran and other mascots. The marriage certificate must clearly state: when is the "wedding day", where to greet XiShen when getting on and off the sedan chair, where to greet your god when wearing a crown, and where to greet the blessed god when sitting on a book. Write some greetings. Such as "heaven and earth", "Xianheng celebration", "long life and wealth" and "happiness from now on". Now only the two sides decide first, and the man will inform the media and the woman. When the wedding day approaches, you must inform your relatives and friends and invite them to come at that time. This is called "inviting guests". Invitations are often used in cities, but in rural areas, they are generally spoken. Close relatives usually arrive early and enjoy themselves. Second, it is only natural to be a helper and an aunt.

As a result, "make a new bed, welcome the bride and reunite the whole family", and the man opens a new house. It is very important to "make a new bed", and two or four "Mrs. Quan Fu" must shoulder the heavy responsibility. Those who are fully blessed must be the original husband and wife and both have children. Fill the pillow and quilt first. There is a song on the pillow: "No longer hungry after meals, go to bed in the red account;" Listen to more sweet words and don't learn from others. " There is also a quilt song: "a handful of chestnuts and a handful of dates, the big one leads the small one;" A handful of peanuts and a handful of money, the big ones lead the small ones to play. " When you make the bed, you should put some lotus seeds, peanuts, red dates, longan, ginkgo and so on. In the four corners, it means "seeds are born early, flowers are born early (men and women), and even children are born."

To show. Having a baby early, on the eve of the wedding, we should invite underage boys from both parents to spend the night with the groom, which is called "rolling a new bed". He has to come to sedan chair for the wedding.

dowry

"Dowry", formerly known as "dowry", originally refers to the dressing box used by women to dress up, and after the Tang and Song Dynasties, it generally refers to all dowry items of women. There are more than ten kinds of dowry customs in Xuzhou. There are all branches, half branches, clever thirteen, big eight, middle eight, small eight, six, four, two kinds of lamp basins, soft bags and so on. The so-called whole branches and half branches in ancient Xuzhou area can only be accompanied by a large family with the brand of "Double Thousand hectares" or "Thousand hectares" awarded by the emperor. Dowry is equipped with land, handmaiden, chariots and horses, clothes, cabinets, tables and chairs, antiques, etc. The number of accompanying land is marked with "soil foundations" (shaped like bricks) on the table, and each soil foundation represents 100 mu. Even numbers are called "full branches" and odd numbers are called "half branches". Cui Dao, a bachelor of Xuzhou Hanlin Academy in Qing Dynasty, once lamented: "How many women can you marry after a hundred years of accumulation?" Fortunately, I saw it, and it was difficult for future generations. "This is a testimony to the extravagance and waste of dignitaries in feudal society.

"Six-piece" in its original state refers to a wardrobe, a double-door cabinet, a square table, a long table, a dressing table, a plush chair and a spring stool. The meeting of large and medium-sized enterprises lies in the grade of furniture. The small eight pieces are big cabinets, small cupboards, eight immortals (short eight immortals table), polo, wooden cases, coffee tables, tables and chairs, etc. More than eight big pieces are collectively called "Joe Thirteen", which is the top grade among the people. Furniture styles are different from generation to generation and have local characteristics. For example, there are urinals, needle baskets, washbasins and lamps in the rural areas of Pixian County from time to time, even if the family is poor, it is indispensable. Those who accompany them to the southeast are wrapped in yellow cloth (please send a dowry team, there are people behind), and there are a pair of red painted chopsticks inside, called "Gu Dou", which symbolizes "the birth of a baby". These are all given by parents to their daughters, and daughters generally can't ask them. It's different now. Not only do they have to ask questions, but some even don't go into their in-laws' homes without achieving their goals. Not only will the woman marry him, but the man will also prepare several big pieces. In the sixties and seventies, "three turns and one ring" were watches, bicycles, sewing machines and radios; In the 1980s, color TV sets, refrigerators and washing machines were needed. In the 1990s, telephones, air conditioners and cameras were needed. Some people ask for money directly and buy whatever they want.

The prepared dowry should be escorted by the woman to the man's house one to three days before the wedding, usually in the morning. The dowry must be marked with double happiness characters cut from red paper and patterns such as mandarin ducks and butterflies. There are "Happy Fruit" and vermicelli wrapped in red paper in the cupboard to show good luck. No matter who brings it in the car, all bride price should be made public, widely publicized and expanded. Among the attendants, there must be a "new foster mother" to guide the wedding ceremony. This woman must be a "complete person", with in-laws and children. When approaching the man's house, you should sound a whip to announce it. When the man hears the news, he will greet him and give a banquet. When the bride enters the house, the new foster mother will ask her mother-in-law how to put it, and then give her the key. His aunt and uncle searched the closet and commented on it. This is called "no turning, no sending".