What were the ways to express love in ancient China

There are ancient ways for young men and women to express their love for each other through food. In the Book of Songs, there are records of "throwing plums" and "throwing papayas". In ancient times, young men and women gathered in the forest in the summer when the fruits were ripe and threw plums and papayas at each other to choose their lovers. Tang Wang Wei's poem "Acacia" says: "Red beans are born in the south, and several branches are sprouting in spring. I wish you would pick more of them, this thing is the most lovesick." It is a clear proof that Han men and women love each other and give red beans as love tokens. In modern times, there is still no lack of examples. The difference is that, sent objects to symbolize love, not than the original, such as the gift of gold rings and so on. But trace the roots of the origin, and now part of the nation to the food to courtship, a unique ancient interest.

Jingpo

Transmission of leaf love letters, is the Yunnan Jingpo expression of love communication. When a young man of the Jingpo tribe falls in love with a girl from a certain family, he will use a leaf of the chestnut tree wrapped with roots, garlic, chili peppers and matchsticks to give to the person of his choice. The chestnut tree leaf indicates that there are many heartfelt words to say to the girl. The root of the tree indicates that they miss and adore the girl. The garlic indicates that one is willing to make a good marriage with the girl. The chili peppers express one's faithful and ardent love. The matchsticks express their firmness. When the girl receives the "love letter", if she agrees, she will return the original. If she agrees, she will return it as is. If she wants to consider it, she will add milkweed. If she does not agree, charcoal is added to show her disapproval. When the young man received to consider the "letter of reply", and then picked two tender chestnut leaves, face to face together, plus grains, cereals, beans, once again expressed the willingness to start a family with the girl, *** with life. After many contacts, such as the girl agreed to this marriage, that is, accept the "letter" to tobacco back; such as do not agree, will be the chestnut leaves back together to return the young man. When the man and woman are mature in love, if the parents oppose, the girl will be wrapped in leaves with mimosa, thorns, gunpowder, etc. sent to the young man; if the man wants to escape from the marriage of the woman, will be wrapped in leaves with fern tip sent to the woman, the woman agreed to add thatched grass to send back.

Giving banana leaf packets is another way for the Jingpo people of Yunnan to express their love. When a young man is in love with a girl, he will use colorful thread to tie a banana bag to send the girl. If there are sand sticks, wild mustard leaves and other leaves inside the bag, it means that the love is unswerving, and if the girl agrees, she is often proud of it. If you do not agree, then return.

The Lisu

Living in Yunnan Longchuan and Yingjiang County of the Lisu people, men and women courting, the use of "Lai Su" to express the love of thought. "Lai Su" is a banana leaf wrapped in two small sections of the same length of thatch, that you and I are almost, a garlic, that is willing to be tied together; a betel nut, that you contain in the mouth, straw tobacco, and then wrapped in the same content of the "Lai Su", plus coriander, said that A betel nut is for you to take in your mouth, a straw cigarette, then wrapped with the same content of "Lysol", plus coriander, to show that you are willing to get along with you, and a white line to show that you are white. If you reject it completely, add a section of hot pepper and return the original to the man.

Wenpazhai Yi

Yunnan Zhenyuan County, Wenpazhai Yi branch Xiangtang people, men and women pursuing each other to love each other since the opening, to send quite poetic. Such as wordless love letters is an example. When the young man and the girl meet and get to know each other, such as the girl on the young man's courtship expressed consent, will use the banana leaf wrapped in a small handful of salt, entrusted to bring to the young man. Once the young man sees this salt, he is so happy that he dances with his hands and feet, so he brings the betrothal gift to the girl's home to drink the betrothal wine. Because, the green banana leaf indicates their young life and youth, the salt bar indicates that the girl has karma and affection for the young man who pursues her, and the girl's parents are fond of their marriage. Conversely, if the girl disagrees, a fly wrapped in paper or a banana leaf is sent to the other party.

The Dulong

The "bow-hitching" is a way for the Dulong in Nujiang Prefecture, Yunnan Province, to pledge their love with a token. "The bow is made by young men from woven rattan gabions. It is about 15 centimeters in size, flat and round, well-made, beautiful and chic. When the male youth in love with a girl, that is, in the dead of night, with "take the bow" loaded with food, hanging in front of the girl's house, the girl according to the "take the bow" compilation style, guessing its people, if there is a love affair, that is, it will be carried on the body, as a voucher for the object has been. On the contrary, the original object hang back to the original place, let the male party to retrieve.

Miao

Gift of glutinous rice, is popular in Yunnan Miao way of love. When a girl is attracted to a young man, in order to express her love, she will take the initiative to give a packet of glutinous rice to the person of her choice, the more the number, the deeper the love. If the man is also affectionate, will gladly accept, reported to parents, trust the matchmaker to propose marriage.

Marriage customs:

Yunnan is the province with the largest number of ethnic minorities in the country, the marriage customs of various ethnic groups for generations, each with its own special features, forming a splendid humanistic landscape ......

"Throwing bags", "Selling Chicken" to find a spouse

"Throwing bags", known as "Duan Ma Tube" in Dai language, is a traditional recreational and sports activity favored by Dai young men and women, and a unique way to find a spouse. It is also a unique way to look for a spouse. Whenever the Dai New Year "Water Festival" is approaching, the village "Xiao Buzhao" (girl) will put on the festival dress and bring along a kind of four-cornered diamond-shaped cloth bag (loaded with cotton seeds, the corner is decorated with a five-inch-long silk thread or lace, which has a one-foot-long carrying cord. It has a one-foot-long rope for holding and throwing when the bag is thrown.), and gather at the agreed-upon square, the lawn at the edge of the village, or under the Tsubaki tree. At this time, "Xiaobuyao" (young men) also come from various villages to participate in this event. The male side is led by the "Nai Chong", an organization of unmarried young men, and the female side is also led by the unmarried "Nai Sentinel", with each side standing opposite to the other with a distance of 20-30 meters between them. Both sides look at each other with affection for a moment, the girl will hold the flower bag rope flicked a few turns, and then "whoosh" to the young man to fling, the beginning of just aimlessly flinging. See the flower package to fly, the young man will scramble to catch, catch will be cheering, can not catch will have to throw the package to the girl to offer flowers or commemorative gifts. After the boy got the flower bag, also follow the girl's action, light fling a few rounds and will be thrown out of the flower bag, so that the girls to grab to catch, did not catch the bag of girls, have to throw the bag to the young man to offer a flower. So you throw me to catch me throw you to catch the ground thrown to a certain time, will enter a substantial climax, that is, began to search for each other! Thus, the heart of the young men and women will begin to throw bags in pairs with each other. At this time, the bag has become a messenger to convey feelings, with love and love to fly to each other: the girl if you fancy a young man, will throw the bag to him, the young man if you catch, that he also likes the girl, so the two will throw up, the two threw up a period of time, the girl suddenly threw the bag high and far, will be mindful of the young man pretended to catch the bag, and then ran to the girl in front of the "Admit defeat", and the pre-prepared gift to the girl, and then the two will quietly leave the bag throwing site, hidden in the trees or the banks of the streams and springs to talk to each other about their feelings of love, and eventually become a couple. A small flower package, I do not know how many Dai young men and women to lead the line, take the bridge, so that they are lovers.

Another way for the Dai to find a spouse is to "sell chicken". Whenever the Dai New Year Water Festival or other festivals are approaching, the girls will kill their own fat chickens, cook the chicken stew, put lemongrass, ginger, green onion, garlic, green chili and other seasonings, held in a small box set up to the field to go to the dam to sell, and wait for their favorite young man to buy. If you come to sell the chicken girl is not satisfied, will want a high price, the young man will be interested to go away; if it is not clear this "mystery" of foreign travelers to buy, often not by the girl's blank stares, cold treatment, is the girl opened "sky-high prices" let the other side felt Inexplicable. If the girl fancy young man to buy, the situation is completely different, when the two affectionate eyes touch, the girl will shyly lower her head. The young man will use this "opening statement" to "ask for directions": "Nong uh Nong (sister), you do the chicken how so fragrant ah? Are you using green chili peppers from Phoenix Mountain, salt from Peacock Lake, and lemongrass from the Aroma Garden? Was it pre-made by a customer?" The girl then replied, "Rock Dragon (brother) uh, my box of chicken is made with the most ordinary lemongrass, the most ordinary salt and green chili peppers, but only with the addition of my fiery heart. If Rock Dragon doesn't mind, please come and try it!" When the girl finished speaking, she brought out the small stool she had prepared and hidden behind her, and invited the young man to sit beside her. If the young man was interested in the girl, he would say, "There is a saying in our Dai family that says, 'Carrying it together makes it lighter, and eating it together makes it sweeter'. It's best for both of us to eat together for the chicken to have flavor." In order to make it easier to talk and avoid the crowd's ears, the girl would then go on to say, "Yanlong er! There is also a saying in our Dai family that says, 'Let go of eating to make it sweet, let go of cooking to make it sharp.' There are so many people here, why don't we just carry it to the forest to eat, where it's cool and quiet." So, the two men moved stools, end of the chicken, towards the depths of the woods to go to each other to tell each other love and affection .......

Leaf love letter

Yunnan's Jingpo people, mostly living in the mountains, historically backward due to cultural, literate people as few as a morning star, so the Jingpo young men and women in love, it is commonly used as a "love letter" leaves, a "letter A "letter" in a few, or even more than ten kinds of leaves, each leaf has its own specific meaning, but some of the meaning of the leaf, only the communication of men and women only know. When the "letter writer" want to pass their deep feelings to each other, they will be a piece of leaves according to their own to express the meaning of the leaves in order to arrange them in order, with a cloth package, and finally tied up with colorful threads, to send to each other. The other party opens the cloth bag, picks up these leaves to see one by one in turn, the leaves finished, "letter" also finished reading. The leaf language of the leaves of the Jingpo tribe is as follows: fern leaf means "I miss you"; dial leaf means "I love you with all my heart"; yellow flower leaf means "I hope to see you"; and the leaf of the sole barberry cane means "I am very happy to know you" ...... and so on. The colorful threads used to tie up the leaves can also indicate some specific meanings, for example: white thread means "I am white and flawless"; red thread means "my heart is the best"; if there are two knots on one side of the tied threads and they are knotted very firmly, it means "We two will always be one heart" ...... and so on. Nowadays, with the times and life's great changes, Jingpo people have a culture, and even produced some writers, has mostly not use leaves as love letters. But some young men and women in mutual admiration, can not help but think of this ancient custom, still like to use this ancient and romantic "leaf love letter" to pass each other's heart, with the leaves to do their love tokens.

Orchid smoke love

In the Lisu cottage, almost every family yard are planted with orchid smoke tree, and there is a legend: a long time ago, a pair of young men and women of the Lisu people love each other, but because of the opposition of both parents were separated alive, the girl wronged to kill themselves. The young man heard the news of grief, went to the girl's grave to pay tribute, found the grave grew a small tree with white flowers, he picked a leaf in his mouth, but feel the fragrance, sweet and unusual. After the news spread, people picked the leaves of this tree and dried them, rolled them into cigarettes, lit a fire and smoked them, and their flavor was more fragrant than chewing. So, people will be transplanted to the home of this tree, carefully cultivated, and the leaves of this tree made of smoke known as orchid smoke, Lisu men and older women like to smoke it. In the Lisu cottage, young men in the choice of spouse when courting, are very solemn in the waist on the orchid smoke flower cigarette packet, if you fancy which girl, will be equipped with orchid smoke flower cigarette packet unloaded to give her; the girl if the other party does not feel like, will politely decline; if you want to, will catch the flower cigarette packet and their own flower cigarette packet back to the other party, as a "love affair! ". Flower cigarette packet, that is how to become the Lisu young men and women between a token of love.

"Wiping pots of ash" and "playing matchmaker"

Yunnan's Brown men started "stringing girls" before the age of 20: with a whistle, the entire village of The girls hear the whistle and go to the village. The girls heard the whistle, also converge to a spacious house, the fire burning, and put his hand to the bottom of the pot to wipe a little hidden behind, the young man entered the door, one by one are smeared with a black face, we look at each other are more than laughter. Wash away the ashes of the pot, we will sit around the fire, in the melodious sound of the three strings of men and women singing, through the subtle and witty song, men and women for all aspects of understanding, if a pair of young men and women through the song of love success, will go back to their parents to discuss the man's family from the matchmaker to go to the marriage. The matchmaking is grand, the matchmaker should be dressed up, pick on rice, wine, meat and other gifts, and go in a dignified manner. Into the door of the woman's home, the girl is both happy and shy, but then she must pretend to be annoyed, pick up a stick to hit the matchmaker's feet, but this is a fake hit, the stick only hit the ground, she hit, the matchmaker jumped a little bit, making the onlookers laugh, as if acting out a comedy. After a while, the parents would come out and pretend to scold their daughter for not knowing what she was doing, and the girl would withdraw her stick and leave the stage. Matchmaker was invited to the fire, hosts and guests sat together, drinking and eating meat, wine to half-heated, the hosts and guests lead a song, laughter. To the wedding day, the entire village of young men and women to come to congratulate, they beat the elephant foot drum, playing the small three-stringed, singing and dancing, laughter. The bridegroom's father, then prepare good meat and wine to entertain the guests, especially the matchmaker, this time more by the bride and groom's special respect.

Speechless love proposal

Yunnan Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, in addition to the main body of the Bai people, there is another large number of ethnic minorities - the Yi people, due to the two *** living in the same place for a long time, the countryside and folklore influence each other, infiltration, which formed the two ethnic groups are similar to similar wedding customs!

In the mountainous areas of Heqing and Jianchuan Bai people's homes, the main house is equipped with a fire pit, is to receive guests and the whole family deliberations place. Whenever rainy and snowy days, young men and women in love are "a day without seeing, such as three autumns", the love of the young man will often take the initiative to the girl's home to "visit love". Guests come, the host family will come up with cigarettes, wine or fruits to entertain the guests, "visiting love" will take the initiative to decline all the hospitality, which is implied: my intention is not to eat and drink, care about your girl! This move makes the host family understand the guest's intention, they will find all kinds of excuses to take the initiative to leave, to give the fire pit to the lovers in love. Because it is more inconvenient in the home, but also can not sing each other in the wilderness, but also inappropriate to use the brother ah sister ah dead ah live ah words to express their feelings, so they will be able to understand each other's "language" for the speechless emotional exchanges. At this time, the girl will add firewood to the fire, holding two sections of firewood in each hand and placing them side by side into the fire pit. If this action is expressed in a mountain song, it means: "I am looking forward to the stars and the moon, hoping for my brother to come, just like looking forward to dry firewood in the fire pit; the fire pit is like a pit of ice without firewood, and my brother comes to my sister's house to warm my heart." Naturally, the young man could "read" this kind of "language", so he straightened the fingers of his right hand into a plum blossom shape, with the palm of his hand facing the fire pit to the other side, meaning: "Red peonies on the top of the cliffs, with red flowers and green leaves, fragrant and fragrant, I want to move the peonies to my home, but I am afraid of planting flowers. If I want to move the peony to my home, I am afraid that the flower grower will not be willing to do so." This is the young man's proposal of marriage to the girl, and he uses the "object language" to test the attitude of the girl and her family towards it. When the girl blushes, she will shyly pick up the bamboo chopsticks that hold the fire, with the upper ends together and the lower ends apart, to make a promise to the other party, which means: "Flowers love the bees and the bees love the flowers, and the flower grower loves the bees as well as the flowers; as long as the bees don't pick them indiscriminately, the peonies will move with the bees and bees to your home". If the young man gives the girl a bouquet of tea flowers wrapped in green rattan, it means: "Good flowers are fresh, good flowers bloom on the other side of the river; if you have the heart to pick a good flower and wear it, the river is wide and the water is deep". If the girl takes the bouquet of flowers with both hands, picks one and puts it in her hair, and offers the other person a cup of fragrant tea with olives, it means: "Bees pick flowers and fly over thousands of mountains, not afraid of difficulties and dangers, relying on the heart to be firm; as long as the heart of the man is in line with the sister's wishes, the wings will turn into a ferry boat." If the girl is in love with each other but afraid of being criticized, the young man will select three burning firewood sticks from the fire pit, according to the zigzag shape inserted in the fire pit side to show encouragement, meaning: "Lohan in front of the point of the right wax, Kwun Yum in front of the light, the wind blew the fire extinguished, the Lohan reached out to touch the Kwun Yum, the gods also have love and love, for fear of who chew the root of the rotten tongue?" The girl was encouraged, firm belief in love, busy offering to the lover a cup of boiling water bubble red pond mint tea to show the heart, meaning: "mint brown sugar heart to heart, brother and sister in love with the deep affection; water pot cooking cabbage, do not put oil and salt taste is also true; learn from the stars and the moon will always be accompanied by a clean and white marriage." ...... In the past, the Bai people's "language of things" has nearly a hundred kinds, but there are only more than 20 "vocabularies" left today, these "vocabularies of things These "vocabulary of the language of things" by the old singer a "translation", it became a group of beautiful love songs. Because they cast the love of the Bai people's love, but also melted into the dexterity and wisdom of the Bai people, so far is still loved by the people.

In Eryuan County, Dali Prefecture (also a Bai settlement, and Heqing, Jianchuan County, neighboring) of the Yi family, marriage proposals and the Bai people, as the use of the "language", so that, even if the proposal was rejected, will not be embarrassed, and each other both sides will still be able to live in harmony later. Here, if a young man falls in love with a girl, he will ask her to make a pair of insoles, and the girl will agree, but if the insoles are not embroidered, then it means refusal, and the young man will walk away knowingly; if the young man receives the insoles are embroidered, it means that the girl agrees to his quest, and he will tell his parents to go to the woman's home to send the proposal of wine. Marriage proposal, led by the parents of the son, choose a bi-monthly double days of the auspicious day, to the woman's home to send a good wine, wine altar tied a red silk belt, placed on the living room table, the woman's family naturally understand, the two sides of the marriage did not say a word about the matter, but just to pull some commonplace conversation, eat the host entertained the meal, then leave to go home. The woman's parents and family if they like the marriage, they will drink the wine to show promise; if refused to move it. A month later, the young man went to the girl's home again to visit, while the host is not prepared to take a look at the table quietly to see if the proposal of wine to drink. If did not drink, from then on he will be interested to go away forever; if drink, will go back to tell the parents, by the parents to discuss with the female family specifically how to organize the marriage of their children ......

Respondent: LiangZhiPin - assistant second level 12-10 18:09

JingPo

Transmission of leaves Love letters, is the Yunnan Jingpo tribe to express love communication. Jingpo young man when in love with a girl, with a chestnut tree leaves wrapped with roots, garlic, chili peppers, match silk to the intended recipient. The chestnut tree leaf indicates that there are many heartfelt words to say to the girl. The root of the tree indicates that they miss and adore the girl. The garlic indicates that one is willing to make a good marriage with the girl. The chili peppers express one's faithful and ardent love. The matchsticks express their firmness. When the girl receives the "love letter", if she agrees, she will return the original. If she agrees, she will return it as is. If she wants to consider it, she will add milkweed. If she does not agree, charcoal is added to show her disapproval. When the young man received to consider the "letter of reply", and then picked two tender chestnut leaves, face to face together, plus grains, cereals, beans, once again expressed the willingness to start a family with the girl, *** with life. After many contacts, such as the girl agreed to this marriage, that is, accept the "letter", to tobacco back; such as disagreement, the chestnut leaves back together to return the young man. When the man and woman are mature in love, if the parents oppose, the girl will be wrapped in leaves with mimosa, thorns, gunpowder, etc. sent to the young man; if the man wants to escape from the marriage of the woman, will be wrapped in leaves with fern tip sent to the woman, the woman agreed to add thatched grass to send back.

Giving banana leaf packets is another way for the Jingpo people of Yunnan to express their love. When a young man is in love with a girl, he will use colorful thread to tie a banana bag to send the girl. If there are sand sticks, wild mustard leaves and other leaves inside the bag, it means that the love is unswerving, and the girl often takes pride in it if she agrees. If you do not agree, then return.

The Lisu

Living in Yunnan Longchuan and Yingjiang County of the Lisu people, men and women courting, the use of "Lai Su" to express the love of thought. "Lai Su" is a banana leaf wrapped in two small sections of the same length of thatch, that you and I almost, a garlic, that is willing to be tied together; a betel nut, that you contain in the mouth, straw tobacco, and then wrapped in the same content of the "Lai Su", plus coriander, said that A betel nut to indicate that you should take it in your mouth, a straw cigarette, then wrapped in "Lysol" of the same content, plus coriander, to indicate that you are willing to be together, with a white thread to indicate that you are white, and if you do not agree with it, then you will turn your back on the leaves of the tree that you are in agreement with, plus a piece of charcoal. For total rejection, add a section of spicy