I intend to get married in Jinan. I want to know what marriage customs there are and how much dowry the woman should give.

Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, most civil marriages in Jinan followed the traditional custom of "parents' orders and matchmakers' words". A woman must be "loyal to her husband" after marriage, and she can't remarry after her husband dies. This is called "keeping ambition" and "widowhood". If you remarry, you will be discriminated against, calling it "the second marriage head" and "the person who has passed the threshold". Men can take concubines, which are called "two rooms" and "three rooms"; You can remarry after losing your wife, which is called "mistress" and "mending the house". Wedding procedures vary from family to family. At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, the general marriage custom went through the following procedures: discussing marriage, betrothal, wedding, worship, returning to the door, worshiping relatives, worshiping ancestors, etc., which was called "big marriage"; The marriage procedures of poor families are extremely simplified. Some people worship heaven and earth and their ancestors after they get engaged, which is commonly known as "small marriage".

First, discuss marriage.

When a man is fifteen or sixteen and a woman is seventeen or eighteen, there is a matchmaker to propose marriage. Generally, the man's family invites the matchmaker to the woman's house to "propose marriage". Intermarriage between men and women emphasizes "the right match and the matching of eight characters", and both sides attach great importance to each other's appearance and appearance. The woman's age is much more expensive, so as to avoid her being one year older. Women are two, gold is long; Girl, take the gold brick. After matchmaking (commonly known as "matchmaking"), both parents are interested in exchanging Geng Tie, also known as "exchanging Cambodia". The post reads the birthdays of both men and women (the year, month, day and hour of cadre discipline), and both families ask fortune tellers to "match". If so, the marriage is basically settled. Some even go on blind dates before changing to Cambodia, that is, the woman's parents look at the man first, the man's parents look at the woman again, and both parents like it before changing to Cambodia. In the old society, there were many animal taboos for men and women, such as the feudal superstition that "white horses are afraid of green cows, chickens and monkeys are not yet finished, snakes and mice are like knives and files, and once tigers and sheep are retired, dragons and pigs are hard to match, and they are most afraid of being rabbits and dogs".

Second, engagement.

After the men and women agreed to get married, they went to Cambodia for a ceremony and a grand engagement ceremony. The red book with golden dragon and phoenix and Cambodia's double happiness is called Dragon and Phoenix Cambodia. In the book post, the man wrote four auspicious words, such as "Stay at a respectful distance from others, keep your word", "A perfect match made in heaven, a perfect match for a hundred years". The bride's family wrote "obedient jade sound" and four good words on her permission to get married when she returned to Cambodia. The man accompanied Long Feng Cambodia to attend the ceremony, also known as "bride price". Wedding gifts include jewelry, clothes, festive spots and so on. There are 4-color gifts or 8-color gifts. Usually a gift list is prepared, packed in a box and sent to the woman's home by the matchmaker. A few rich officials and businessmen sent 12 to 48 sets of various wedding gifts. In return, the woman's family has boots, hats, materials and Four Treasures of the Study. After the exchange of Cambodia, their marriage was formally concluded, and neither party could break the contract.

Third, get married.

After the wedding, choose an auspicious day, commonly known as "seeing the sun", and prepare to get married. Before the wedding, the man's parents send greetings to the woman's parents and relatives. Relatives and friends who receive greetings from Cambodia should bring gifts to congratulate them. The day before the wedding, the woman's parents hired someone to deliver the dowry to the man's house. According to the wealth of the family, there are 4 elevators, 8 elevators and 16 elevators. There are 32 elevators and 64 elevators in the families of wealthy officials and businessmen. Most people send clothes, bedding and household appliances, while wealthy official and business families send brocade, gold and silver jewelry, carved screen color bottles and other valuables. On the wedding day, the man posted happy characters, couplets and colored silk at the gate, and put a pair of bricks wrapped in red paper with chopsticks on the top of the gate. Wealthy official and business families will also set up colorful sheds in the yard to entertain relatives and friends. There is a flower room in the yard, which is dedicated to the god of heaven and earth, the three-star porcelain statue of Fu Lushou, vases and candles on the table, and the table is covered with a red carpet. The woman's home is also decorated with lanterns to entertain relatives and friends. The man should invite the bride-to-be, and the woman should invite the bride-to-be. Both the bride-to-be and the bride-to-be should choose a "plump person" with parents, in-laws and children. In the morning 10, the groom wears a coat and crosses HongLing, riding a horse or sedan chair to guide the drum band and sedan chair to the woman's house to get married. The woman should close the door before the sedan chair arrives and wait for the sedan chair to arrive. Accompanied by the drum music of the band, the groom got out of the sedan chair, knocked on the door and handed in a business card (the business card was written in block letters on red paper "My nephew from the Royal Wheel"), and then opened the door to lead the groom into the house. The groom should kneel and kowtow to the woman's ancestral temple, and then kneel and kowtow to his parents-in-law, who will stand beside him and bow in return. The concierge then led the groom to the bride's door, and the groom bowed to the door. After the bride was invited, she went to the guest room, where the Yue family set up tea, wine and dishes to entertain the groom. When the big dish was served, the groom left. At this time, the drummer played loudly, and the bride was helped into the sedan chair by the female guest. The suona music kept going. When the sedan chair goes to the man's house, firecrackers are set off when the female guests are sent away, and the female guests are greeted to help the bride get off the sedan chair. The groom personally lifts the curtain of the sedan chair. The bride was carried off the sedan chair with red cloth wrapped around her head and wishful thinking in her right hand. One person holds the mirror high and shines on the bride from the opposite side. The bride walked to the drawing room on the red carpet. Relatives and friends threw grain and bran at the bride in succession, which later turned into scraps of paper, known as "spreading corn beans", commonly known as the homophonic word for spreading ears, which means "evil". Sticky cake bags and saddles were set up to let the bride pass by, and then they shouted auspicious words such as "Step by step" and "Peace through the years". After the bride and groom stood on the north side with the help of their companions, the celebrant loudly sang "auspicious year, auspicious day, auspicious day, full of gifts" and other happy songs. (Lyrics: The bright moon shines on Kyushu, with red lights hanging inside and silks hanging outside. Today is a lucky day. The sedan chair was carried to the gate. The gate was carpeted with red carpets, trumpets and whips, and friends and relatives stood on both sides. The bride got out of the sedan chair and was supported by the nobles. Wearing a red coat, wearing a red coat, holding a hip flask on both sides, the distinguished guest helped the bride walk, crossed the brazier and got into the saddle. I entered the gate, added joy, entered the second door, and was safe. When I walked into the yard, the table of the Eight Immortals was full. A bucket of grain, a weight, three arrows, a bow, burning incense, offering sacrifices to pay homage to the ancestors of heaven and earth. The bride came to the yard and told the groom to worship heaven and earth. Worship the heavens and the earth, parents-in-law are satisfied, and they get rich in four seasons. They are the fifth in Five Blessingg, the sixth in 666, the seventh in seven stars, the Eight Immortals, the Eight Immortals and the Nine Gifts, and all the best. Later, the bride and groom made three and nine obeisances, which were called "worshipping heaven and earth". The bride and groom worship each other three times, which is called "worship ceremony". After worshipping heaven and earth, the groom led HongLing to lead the bride into the bridal chamber. The groom took red chopsticks (Zhang Qiu used to use a rolling pin), removed the red cloth from the bride's head, and then sat opposite the bride to make a toast, which was mixed with honey. Someone asked, "Is it sweet?" The bride should answer "sweet!" Because the homonym is "addition" (that is, birth). Then jiaozi went to the table. The first couple of jiaozi eaten by the bride and groom are tied up with red silk thread to show that "a good marriage leads the red line". When eating, ask the bride, "Are you raw?" The answer is "born", which means you can have children. This is the so-called "wedding". There is a custom of eating sedan chairs in rural areas. Changqing county also has the custom of dumping leftover noodles into mattresses to show that they are reserved for future children. After the wedding, we will "spread the account" and "sit on the account", sprinkle peanuts, red dates, chestnuts and lotus seeds on the bride's bed, and take the auspicious meaning of having a baby early, boys and girls, or even having a baby. After the shower, the bride and groom sat side by side by the bed. After paying the bill, the female "all-in-one machine" will twist the bride's face (that is, twist the hair off her face with a thread), comb her hair and insert a headdress, which is called "face opening". Then, it began to "noisy". When the dormitory was noisy, it was the female guest who advised it. That night, friends, brothers and nephews all listened to the house outside the window. There is a saying that "no one listens to the house, and the children are not prosperous".

Fourth, worship

On the second day after marriage, the bride should bow down to the ancestral temple, and then bow down to her parents-in-law, uncle, uncle and other elders, which is called "visiting the church", commonly known as "worship". In-laws and relatives of elders should give gifts to the bride, such as coins, jewelry or clothes. There is a saying that "newcomers don't knock short".

Five, send a small meal

On the morning after marriage, the woman's parents send the bride's brother or nephew to bring rice to the man's house, congratulate the man's parents first, and then send the rice to the bride's room, which is called "sending a small meal". The purpose is that after marriage, the bride's family will visit the bride.

Six, go back to the door.

On the morning of the third day after marriage, the bride went to the kitchen to worship the stove and cook to serve her in-laws. Then, the bride and groom go to their parents' home together. The groom is called a "distinguished guest" in the Yue family. The groom will kowtow to the ancestral temple of Yue family, and then salute the elders of Yue family. The Yue family will host a banquet. Going back before sunset is called "hiding to sleep". This is called "returning in three days". On the sixth day after marriage, the bride and groom went to Yuejia together, commonly known as "walking for six days". On the ninth and twelfth days, we went to Yue's home. 1 bride can stay at her parents' home for 1 night, and some families have to wait 1 month before the bride can go back to her parents' home to "live on the moon". There is a saying that "there is no room available in January". On the seventh day after marriage, the bride began to sew clothes, shoes and socks. When you live in the right month, take the cut cloth back to your mother's house and make 1 pair of pants for the groom.

On the fourth and fifth day after marriage, the bride, led by her mother-in-law, went to the home of relatives and friends who came to congratulate her, thanked her and recognized her relatives. Relatives and friends give gifts to the bride, which is called "paying tribute to her relatives". It's another sunny day, taking the bride to the ancestral grave of her husband's family to pay homage to her ancestors, and putting pink tomb paper on the grave, which is called "Shangxi Tomb".

In the 1940s, there were fewer and fewer complicated wedding customs, and more middle-and upper-class families in Jinan held "civilized weddings". When getting married, hire a car or carriage to marry the bride. Red colored silk hangs in front of cars and carriages, and various silk flower hangs on the car body. The drum team (known as "foreign drums and foreign trumpets" in folk) blows the cars behind. When holding a wedding, the groom wears a suit and tie, the bride wears a white or pink western-style tulle dress, drags her head to the ground with tulle, wears sunglasses, is accompanied by a bridesmaid (also called a bridesmaid), and the girl holds tulle for her. There are officiating guests and witnesses, and the bride and groom bow three times. However, there are still some old and new customs, such as noisy rooms, listening to rooms, returning to doors, visiting relatives and so on.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, in the 1950s, marriage was simple. Most of them are free love or introductions. After both men and women agree, they go to the government to register and get a marriage certificate, which is a formal marriage. The wedding will be held on holidays. Both men and women will wear big red flowers on their chests, bow in front of the statue of Mao Zedong, and prepare wedding candy and cigarettes to entertain relatives and friends, thus completing the wedding. Marriage became more and more popular in the 1970s. When a man's parents meet his unmarried daughter-in-law for the first time, they should give gifts, mostly money. When the man goes to the woman's house for the first time before marriage, he should bring enough gifts, the more the better. When getting married, relatives and friends give money and things. The woman's parents buy dowry and the man buys furniture and clothes. Some women ask their husbands for property before they get married, especially in rural areas. Most people in the city require bicycles, watches, sewing machines, radios and so on. , commonly known as "three turns and one slip". In rural areas, some ask for money directly. In the 1980s, when they got married, parents of both sexes had to buy high-end furniture and household appliances for their children, such as televisions, refrigerators and washing machines. The day before the wedding, the woman gave a dowry. When getting married, the bride puts on colorful clothes, the man greets the bride by car, and when the bride gets off the bus, she lights firecrackers and puts on a number of banquets to entertain relatives and friends. Returning to China three days after marriage, the woman's parents gave a banquet. Some people travel when they get married. This is called "tourism marriage". In recent years, the government and relevant social organizations advocate frugal weddings and organize collective wedding ceremonies, but the wind of lavish weddings is still prevalent in society.

Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, there were special marriage customs in Jinan, such as uxorilocal, child bride and ghost marriage, which all disappeared after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Seven, uxorilocal

In the old society, wealthy families with or without children had the custom of recruiting sons-in-law to marry their daughters' families in order to provide for the elderly and carry on the family line, which was called "uxorilocal", commonly known as "recruiting sons-in-law to provide for the elderly" and "inserting the door backwards". Most rural families practice this custom. Most of the recruits are men from poor families. If a man wants to change his surname to a woman after marriage, he must have a written certificate of his adopted wife.

Eight, child bride

In the old society, underage daughters from poor families were sent to their in-laws by their parents and often abused, commonly known as "reunion daughters-in-law". "consummation" in adulthood is marriage.

Nine, ghost marriage

Commonly known as "recruiting yin relatives." In the old society, after the death of unmarried young men and women, their parents wanted to find a dead unmarried young man of the opposite sex to marry him and hold a ceremony to tie the knot. Each family set up a spirit tablet, covered with HongLing, carried the woman's spirit tablet to the man's house in a sedan chair, burned it three days later, and buried the woman's coffin with the man's coffin in a broken grave. From now on, the two families are in-laws