Taiwan Marriage Customs

The bride gets married "without heaven and earth"

There is a saying "will get pigs and goats on credit, no credit to the bride", which means that the bride gets married on this day, no matter what the requirements, the man should unconditionally agree to honor in a timely manner, without delay, regret, or you will be laughing at the townships in the future. If not, it will make a fool of the township, the future can not hold up their heads. This is the "bride to get married without heaven and earth," a true reflection.

When the bride crosses the threshold, the "bridegroom" will recite the following words under his breath: "The sky is vast (invisible), the ground is red, day by day, the green bushes (all red-hot)." Side by side for her to open the umbrella (or with a bamboo hat) to cover the top of the head, blocking the sky; red silk cloth from the front door of the steps have been extended away from the front door, straight to the eight palanquin before the bride with mixed feelings of joy and sadness stepped on the red silk cloth on the palanquin. This is called "heaven and earth, today I (bride) Shangda (the largest)", meaning that the usual supremacy of the Lord of Heaven, the landlord, this bride and they are equal, do not have to worship. "Big girl on the sedan chair - the first time", of course, pay attention to the auspicious. Whether before the sedan chair, sedan chair, sedan chair, sedan chair, stop the sedan chair, sedan chair, etc. must be in accordance with the customary way to, not the slightest sloppiness. You see! That sedan chair hanging behind the bamboo rice sieve 1, sieve surface painted with Taiji Bagua, sedan chair embroidered in front of the "dragon and phoenix" or "red double happiness", there are also written "a hundred children and a thousand grandsons" There are also auspicious phrases such as "a hundred children and a thousand grandchildren" and "a long succession of children" written on the front of the sedan chair. Because the rice sieve is the old "picking the ashes" of the utensils, Taiji Bagua is a Taoist treasure, folk believe that has the power to suppress the evil spirits and drive away evil spirits. Sedan chair before stopping, to first put a roof tile in the rice sieve, when the groom to receive the sedan chair, suddenly forcefully broken (with the meaning of "horse power"), to send the marriage is read aloud: "Alcove tile a four-cornered corner (quadrangle), the bride Shabu (broken) gold power, the rule of God to stifle the family prosperity, the groom married M (wife) Jinzhengda (real value)". Real value)". Sedan chair still need to hit the umbrella, step on the red silk cloth into the in-laws. When I think of the "small Dengke", the car to the door, his wife still rely on let me hold into the home, probably to inherit this custom.

The bride's entrance, the in-laws of all people have to quickly avoid, so that she is powerful and full of vigor to enter the door. It is said that the day is "the bride's day" - the bride emperor mouth, say the words are the golden rule; bride three death hand, pointing to who who bad luck. If there are those who do not know the importance of the bride and intentionally shine the wall, the light is reprimanded by elders, the heavy is "hit the brake" a sick. But after this village, there is no store, the old women's "heaven and earth" privilege is limited to the day of the wedding.

Flowering candles in the cave "knotsa more"

Daughter into a family, but a heart, "sobbing and rejoicing" mother will teach the bride some small knotsa (doorway), such as close the door and windows, Lai Ripple tent, shine the mailbox, pressure pants, in order to the baby girl can be in the husband's house, and the bride will be able to get married in the village. In order for the baby girl can stand in the husband's family, not bullied by the husband, live a comfortable, happy life, and bring the husband's family into the wealth and prosperity.

Close the window and door The guests of congratulations gradually dispersed, the cave room left only the young couple. Faced with open doors and windows, although they know that they must be closed quickly, but because of the elders' prudent instructions, the bride pretends to be leisurely doing something else, but not to close the doors and windows. It is said that tonight, if the bride first went to close the doors and windows, will be subject to the husband's restrictions, as long as the dispute over tonight, the future of the day will be much more comfortable. Sense of love for his wife's groom intentionally with the bride to play a while "on the long war", then obediently got up and quickly closed the doors and windows. Coyly sitting quietly aside the bride's face revealed a nightmare of a smile like a flower, shy and doubly happy to read: "I crossed my feet (legs) to sit in the chair, you listen to the door to close the shelter (portal). I cross my feet and sit on the chair, and I will have children and grandchildren."

The mirror box "mirror box drawer" refers to the bride used to load rings, necklaces and pollen, rouge and other dowry soft small box, lift the top layer when there is a mirror. According to folk custom, should be locked by the bride with a small lock, it is said to be in order to lock the husband's father-in-law, mother-in-law, aunts, uncles, the mouth, the future will be less quarrel (quarrel); also lest the good people sneak in the newlyweds before taking a look at the mirror, which is taboo. Until the wedding candles, and then by the bride and groom at the same time after lifting, together with the mirror, so that the couple's beautiful image of the double in front of their eyes. The bride read with affection: "You are? (husband) to me is a (wife), husband and wife to look in the mirror. Ajun from now on the heart to be fixed, love and love A I love."

Sleeping on the bed (hanging the first cherry?). Lai net (hanging mosquito net), is also the wedding night should be accomplished by the new couple together. This also has a rule - is the couple who are not allowed to speak, only silent work, or else, in the future will attract a lot of mosquitoes, not conducive to sleep. When the groom went to bed, the bride had to deliberately slow down half a beat, so that you can take off the clothes stacked on top of the groom's officer, commonly known as "pressure pants". When the groom asked about the reason, the bride answered: "My feet on your shoes, you ask me loudly back (answer)." The bride to "pressure" over the groom, even the sound of the upper hand.

Hanging leaves of sugar cane "head through the end"

"Hair husband and wife, old age" has always been the highest state of the pursuit of marriage, parents hope that their children will be happy and happy life. In Taiwan, people use hanging leaves of sugar cane to express the most sincere and heartfelt blessing on the daughter's marriage - "head through the end", meaning that the marriage road without bumps, without setbacks, until the sea withered, until forever and ever.

The bride "head back to the guest" before returning to the bride's home, the mother will be prepared in advance 2 still hanging green leaves of fresh sugar cane, commonly known as "hanging tail cane". As the name suggests, it is the cane that retains its tail, the one that has just been uprooted from the field and only washed with water to get rid of the mud and sand. When the bride returns to her in-laws' home, the bride's brother helps carry the cane and brings it back to her husband's home, where it is placed behind the door of the bridal chamber, and then chopped into sections on the evening of the third day of the wedding and given to the people to savor. "The "Gan" of "sugarcane" harmonizes with "sweet" in Minnan language, and placing it behind the door of the bridal chamber indicates that the future life of the two couples will be as sweet as sugar and honey. "It means that the future life of the two couples will be as sweet as sugar and honey, and they will be in love. When people eat sugar cane, also want to say a few words of blessing, such as "looking for the bride to eat sweet, next year must hold after life (son)" and so on.

Hanging the end of the cane is generally 2 plants, with a 9-foot-long red ribbon tied to the end of the cane head and tail, and then tie a beautiful flower knot (concentric knot). Sugar cane head beard root, cane tail green leaves, as no less, a symbol of the newly married couple 2 people "head and tail", but also a timely warning to the two new life began, "more tolerance, get along with the harmony", so that "grow old together, The 9-foot-long red ribbon, because "9" and "long" consonance, with "long long long" meaning, this is the parents hope that the daughter, Son-in-law can "love each other, intertwined, long box together"; with the red thick belt tied with a flower knot, on behalf of the groom, the bride and groom from now on to form a life **** with the same body, should be "forever" not divided, hand in hand to struggle, but the two prosperity, the family road is solid.

"The heart of the world's parents" can be seen here.

"On the head" as an adult

In Fujian and Taiwan's marriage, the custom of "on the head" has been retained to this day. Folk believe that only men and women who have been baptized in the "Shangtou" ceremony are considered "adults" because it is a ceremony in which men and women swear to be husband and wife under the witness of the heavens and the earth.

The ceremony is usually held in the hall on the first day of the wedding, when the bride first enters the house. The things to be prepared for the "head" are: two new high and low bamboo chairs, one side of the rice sieve, one top of the gabion hat, one "reed plow" (bamboo round sun gear), but also the quilt, swaddling clothes, a new wooden comb, lice don't (catching head lice with the utensils), etc. The hall is lit up with the "heavenly light", which is the first day of the wedding. In the hall, the lamp of the God of Heaven is lighted, and the table of the God of Heaven is set with a chicken, meat, fried dates and so on.

The ceremony starts with the groom and continues with the bride.

On the day of "Xiao Dengke", I sat firmly on a high bamboo chair inside the "Barbarian Pipe", with my feet resting lightly on a low bamboo chair, my face facing the hall, facing the "Houshou Hall". The one who performs the "head-dressing" ceremony for me is a boy who belongs to the "dragon", he holds a new wooden comb on my head and combs it four times from top to bottom in the order of "three wooden combs, two lice". The matchmaker on the other side of the room was reading aloud auspicious phrases, such as "three under the wooden comb, two under the lice don't, have to eat and have leftovers"; "a comb on the bottom, the husband and wife head through the end"; "up on the head to get up, a lifetime of no generation of Zhi (bad things)"; "a comb on the head, no generation of Zhi (bad things)"; "a comb on the head, no generation of Zhi (good things) )"; "high chair to sit, low chair stilts feet, eating with pig's feet"; "combing the hair comb decent (thorough), the birth of a son will read the book (learn well)" and so on.

After combing the hair, the matchmaker then carefully anointed the couple with peanut oil. The word "flower" harmonizes with the word "hair" and has the meaning of "develop and become rich"; the word "birth" implies the birth of a hundred children and thousands of grandchildren, and a long succession of children. The "Sheng" symbolizes the birth of a hundred children and a thousand grandchildren and a long succession. Finally, by the matchmaker to help the bride, I held up the rice sieve hats pressed on the bride's head into the bridal chamber.

Marrying daughters "pouring water"

"Pouring water" in Fujian and Taiwan wedding customs, the most breathtaking. It allows people to truly experience what is "the world's parents heart", is the most can reflect the greatness of (father) mother love a custom?

Auspicious day, in a burst of joyful firecrackers, the groom with the bride's delicate hands with the wedding car. At this time, the bride's father followed, holding an open mouth "chicken" bowl, full of water. Hand raised, they splashed to the wedding car, cold water spilled on the ground, the car, splashed on the body of the bride ....... And happy and difficult mother hurried to hold back tears, forced a happy face, reciting words: "married daughter carp leap Dragon Gate, early unicorn is the male grandchildren. Husband and wife in harmony for a hundred years spring, five generations together Shun grandchildren hold grandchildren." It is meant to wish the daughter good luck, find a good in-laws, and the couple is in good harmony and happy, and the couple will be together for a long time, and the family will be prosperous.

The parents splashed water, the matchmaker must take a large fan in time to fan the water on the ground, fan while shouting: "Fan cool, fan cool! The actual cool ah, the actual cool ah! Marrying out to meet a good scene, safe days without wind surge (wave)." Originally, this is the matchmaker instead of parents to remind the bride, bearing in mind that "married out of the daughter, spilled out of the water", "the water can not be retrieved" of the allegory; more so that the daughter of the mother's home "heart cool", not in the Homesick, dead heart in the husband's family roots and results, single-mindedly construct their new home. Parents this pain in the heart, to fulfill their children's feelings, only a "world of parents heart" can be described. So the daughter can only return the parental kindness with a wailing "cry for joy".

In ancient times, a woman's divorce was a matter of great dishonor. Liu Lanzhi, the wife of Jiao Zhongqing, was condemned by her mother-in-law to return to her mother's house, and she felt that she had "no face when she entered the house, and no face when she left. Her mother also mourned for her daughter, who "did not welcome her back".

Of course, times are progressing, and corrupt thinking has been abandoned. Modern women are fully capable of controlling their own destiny with their own wisdom and getting more happiness.

"Chicken on the road"

"Chicken on the road" is one of the wedding customs in southern Fujian. It symbolizes people's blessings for the newlyweds to live a happy and fulfilling life.

The "Chicken of the Road", also called "Chicken of the Mother", consists of a rooster and a hen, and must be chosen to be big and strong. For example, the hen should be the kind that will lay eggs on the same day when it is brought into the bridal chamber.

The "chicken with the road" is prepared by the woman's mother herself: a 9-foot-long red band is tied around the chicken's feet, and a chicken is tied to each end of the band. The 9-foot-long red tape, "nine" and "long" consonance, "often long time" of the meaning; red tape, "red-hot "This is the parents' hope that after their daughters are married off, they will have the opportunity to have their daughters married off. This is the parents hope that their daughter married out, and son-in-law and get along, love each other, not only to stay together, old age, but also "good life".

"The road chicken" generally by the newlyweds in the "head back to the guest" (the fourth day of marriage, the bride's brother to invite his sister back to the bride's home as a guest) when brought back to the in-laws. Also in the wedding day by the bridesmaids with the wedding ceremony with a basket of flowers to mention the male home, and into the bridal chamber under the bed. People stop at the door to watch whether the rooster or the hen comes out from underneath the bed first, as an omen of whether the bride will give birth to a man or a woman. Because of the "son preference" thinking, when they see the hen first head out, people will yell, and then boo boo, scared the hen hurriedly back until the rooster first out of the until, people are happy ......

Of course, the "lead the way chicken" is a good idea. The "lead the way chicken" can not be slaughtered at will, to be left to lay eggs. Because of the "egg" and "generation" resonance, so take its "generation (egg) to pass on" the moral.

Welcome the bride over the "fire window"

In southern Fujian, the bride from her mother's home to enter the husband's door, to cross the fire twice, commonly known as "over the fire window".

"Fire window" is also called "fireplace". According to legend, the last emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty went into exile in Nan'an Guanqiao Xili Mountain. A local young man named Zeng Rushui, often help the Song camp to send firewood, the Song Emperor was very grateful, so he gave him a small fireplace to warm. Zeng Ru Shui will be this "oven" collector, when they get married in the furnace will be lit charcoal, so that the bride across, so, after the wedding life is getting better and better, the neighbors think it is the oven to bring the blessing, so they have to follow suit. From then on, "over the Hong furnace" gradually evolved into a wedding custom in southern Fujian.

I remember the "small Dengke (Minnan said to get married as a small Dengke)" day, I witnessed his wife's two "over the fire window". Hand holding his wife's just out of the door, a glance at the hall in the middle of a stove, oven in the sky public "gold paper", incense and candles are burning, the fire is strong, the bottom of the stove is a bamboo castor sieve. Matchmaker while holding his wife, let her quickly across the "fire window", while reciting the words: "over the fire window, married to meet a good" "over the fire charcoal, home mouth (family) gold good-looking".

In fact, the custom of fire window mainly from the ancient worship of fire, fire as a totem (such as the Ming Dynasty, there is a "fire worship"), that can be burned away all kinds of bad luck in life.

In short, the "fire window" is an expression of good people's longing for a better life, hoping that the future days can be like the "oven" as red hot red.