Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Traditional festivals - The specific process of welcoming the bride in a Chinese wedding

The specific process of welcoming the bride in a Chinese wedding

Compared to the simplicity of the Western wedding, the Chinese wedding is more complex, with more steps. The following is the specific process of Chinese wedding welcome, welcome to read.

Chinese wedding bride specific process

1, ancestor worship: the man before going out to marry the bride, first worship ancestors.

2, set off: to welcome the family caravan to an even number is better.

3, firecrackers: welcome the bride train on the way, should be all the way to firecrackers to celebrate.

4, waiting: the groom car to the woman's home, there will be a boy waiting for the groom with a tea tray, the groom got off the bus, you should reward the boy red packet gift, and then enter the woman's home.

5, please: the groom should hold a bouquet to the room to be married to the bride, at this time, the bride's girlfriends to stop the groom, not allowed to see the bride, the woman can put forward the conditions to the groom to agree to, through the only way to enter.

6, goodbye: the newcomers incense ancestors, the bride should bow to her parents to say goodbye, and by the father to cover the veil, and the groom can only bow and salute.

7, out the door: the bride should be blessed by high moral and female elders holding a bamboo sieve or black umbrella to protect their walk to the limousine, because the bride's status on the wedding day than anyone else, and therefore shall not compete with the sky big.

8, the gift car: in the bride on the gift car, the car started soon, the female parent should be a bowl of water, white rice sprinkled in the back of the car, on behalf of the daughter has been thrown out of the water, and all the future never again, and wish the daughter success in everything, have to eat and wear.

9, burning guns: from the woman's home to the man's home on the way, the same way to fire a salute.

10, touch orange: the bride to welcome the new caravan arrived at the groom's home, by a child with a tangerine to meet the newcomers, the bride to lightly touch a tangerine, and give a gift of red packets to answer the gift. These two oranges to be put into the evening, so that the bride herself peeled, meaning to attract "longevity".

11, hold the new: the bride from the gift car out of the bride, should be a blessed elder by the man holding a bamboo sieve on top of the bride's head, and help the bride into the hall. When entering the door, the bride and groom should never step on the threshold, but should cross it.

12, the bride before entering the door should be from the charcoal fire basin across the past, said to wash away the bad luck and bad luck before entering the door

13, wedding banquet: nowadays quite popular Chinese and Western-style wedding, most of the guests in the evening banquet at the same time held a ceremony to observe the ceremony, in the wedding banquet, the bride can be faded from the bride's gown, change into evening gowns to the various tables one by one, a toast.

14, send off the guests: after the wedding banquet, the new couple stood in front of the house to send off the guests.

15, the cave: the new couple was the size of the disaster, depending on whether the new couple in other weddings to tease others, or ordinary people to treat people enough to be loyal, and so on.

Chinese wedding dress

The groom wore the robe of the scholar, the bride wearing cape.

The Scholar's Robe is a variation of the red ninth-grade official's uniform, and the hat is an ocelot hat with a palace flower.

The phoenix crown is decorated with a model of a phoenix in silver or other textures, and the cape is a red shawl. Generally, the bride wears a red silk jacket and pants, and embroidered shoes, on which are embroidered mandarin ducks, plum blossoms, lotuses, and other auspicious motifs.

Chinese clothing can go to the dress store to order or rent, in the studio to shoot wedding photos can also be booked in the Chinese dress, some studios will be in the shooting set of free to borrow the wedding day clothing.

Chinese wedding role arrangement

The bride price party: the male parent to play. The bridegroom is the man's parent, who proposes marriage to the woman and presents her with gifts, known in the olden days as natsui and nazheng. The gifts usually include a variety of food, items that represent good fortune in Chinese culture. The gifts usually include various foodstuffs and items that represent good luck in Chinese culture, such as tea.

Matchmaker: A person who has a close relationship with both families and is responsible for inviting the elders of both parties to meet and facilitating communication between them.

Children: Played by unmarried men from the man's family, they are responsible for serving tea and welcoming the sedan chair during the wedding.

All the people: played by the female family of several young and beautiful unmarried women, in the bride off the sedan chair to help the bride get off the sedan chair. Wedding Master of Ceremony: announce the official start of the ceremony, introduce the two sides of the important friends and relatives, and give a blessing speech.

Officiant: a respected elder or friend to play, for the wedding speech.

Videographer: A professional videographer to record the whole process of the wedding and take photos of the couple and guests, leaving precious memories for the couple.

Chinese wedding site

The traditional Chinese wedding ceremony, usually the morning of the woman's home to "wedding wine", and at noon the man's home to organize the wedding feast. At noon the bridesmaid to help in the male family room set up a good place to worship. But nowadays, more and more couples are having their weddings in hotels, even if it's a Chinese ceremony.

Traditional Chinese Weddings

Shangtou Shangtou is a rite of passage, traditionally involving the burning of incense and candles, and the preparation of three sacrificial offerings to the ancestors. The use of balls on the top of the head signifies sweetness and fulfillment.

Traditionally, there are red and green threads and powdered begonias.

Before combing the bride's hair, the Chuanfu people will apply begonia powder on the bride to "open her face".

Modern Chinese Wedding

The mirrors used in the hair dressing are the same as the mirrors used in Taoist rituals. The popularity of the head-dressing set.

Some families no longer use needle and thread.

Although the rituals have been simplified, the dragon and phoenix candles and the soup pills are still the same.

History of Traditional Chinese Weddings

It is said that the earliest marriage relationship and wedding ceremonies in China began with Fuxi's system of marriage and Nüwa's establishment of the matchmaking contract. In the "Outer Chronicle of the Tongjian", it is written: "In the ancient times, there was no difference between men and women, and Tai Hao began to set up a marriage ceremony, with the ritual of "Lipi" (俪皮)." From then on, the "Lipi" (a pair of deer skins) became one of the classic wedding gifts. After that, in addition to the "Lipi gift" in addition, but also "must tell the parents"; to the summer and the Shang, and appeared in the "pro-greeting in the court" "pro-greeting in the Hall The rituals of the "kiss and welcome in the hall". The Zhou Dynasty is the etiquette of the era of completion, which gradually formed a complete set of marriage etiquette, "rituals" in the detailed regulations, the whole set of rituals for the "six rituals". The six rites of marriage have since become the template for traditional Chinese weddings, and have been passed down to this day.

The Tang system of faint clothing, marriage six rites

Chinese weddings can be divided into three phases:

The pre-wedding ceremony, that is, "betrothal"

The wedding ceremony, that is, the "marriage

The pre-wedding ceremony, or "engagement"

The formal wedding ceremony, or "marriage", which means the union of husband and wife

The post-wedding ceremony, or "marriage", which means "marriage" or "son-in-law", which means the union of husband and wife. According to the Book of Rituals, the Faint Rites: "The Faint Rites, will be combined with the good of the two surnames, the upper in order to serve the clan and temple, and the lower in order to succeed the future generations, so the men are heavy, is the Faint Rites Nacai, ask the name, Naji, Naji, please period, are masters spindle a few outside the door, into the greetings and rise to the temple, at the command of the Temple, and the worship and welcome at the door, into the greetings and rise to the Temple, at the command of the Temple, so the respect and caution and heavy positive fainting rite also ...... Therefore, it is said that the dim rites, the rites of this also."

The so-called six rites, according to the records of the rituals, respectively, is the nazai, ask the name, naji, naji, please period, pro welcome. It is said that the six rituals were created in the Zhou Dynasty, some scholars believe that the Zhou Wen Wang era has six rituals, but there are also people not from the six rituals.

Han Pingdi Yuan Shi three years, Liu Xin and other miscellaneous wedding, four auxiliary ministers and doctors Chuanqian Lang Shi family members feasible to meet in person, the next year, the Queen is also Nacai, Buji. Wei Jin and North and South Dynasties, the crown prince to marry the crown princess of the wedding are not invited to welcome, since the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Eastern Jin Dynasty many times are not in accordance with the six rituals of marriage.

After the Tang Dynasty, the Crown Prince began to welcome, and the Prince's wedding will follow the six rituals. Later and "ask the name" in the "Na Cai" and "please date" in the "Na Cheng"; so although the concept is still according to the Therefore, although conceptually the six rites are still followed, in reality there are only four rites, namely, "Nacai", "Naji", "Najie", "Najing" and "Greeting". In fact, there are only four rites: "Nacai", "Naji", "Najing" and "Greeting". Zhu Zi family rituals even combined "Naji" and "Najing" into one rite, so there are only three rites. In the Yuan Dynasty, the wedding will add more than one wedding ceremony.

In the first year of Hongwu in Ming Dynasty, the wedding ceremony was standardized by Dingfang based on Zhuzi family rituals.

During the Qing Dynasty, according to the Tongli records, Han officials from the seventh grade and above **** have nine rites, but they are spelled out into a woman into a son-in-law, and the ancient six rites are only left to "discuss the marriage", "Na Cai", "Na Cai", "Invitation", "Invitation", "Invitation", "Invitation", "Invitation" and "Invitation". The six rites of the ancient times were only five rites, namely, "discussing marriage", "accepting marriage", "accepting money", "inviting the date" and "inviting the welcome". The marriage of the other scholars and the common people is relatively simple, and the civil wedding is generally carried out in accordance with Zhu Zi's family law.

Three Books and Six Rites

Main Entry: Three Books and Six Rites Three Books Three Books, i.e., the Book of Hire, the Book of Rites, and the Book of Welcome: Book of Hire The Book of Hire is the book of betrothal, which is handed over to the woman's family by the man's family at the time of the "Naji" (passing of the Wending). The Book of Rites The Book of Rites is the book used for the "Naji" (the big ceremony), in which the type and number of gifts are listed in detail. The Book of Marriage As the name suggests, the Book of Marriage is the book used to welcome the bride, i.e., when the bride is being welcomed.

The Six Rites

Nacai is also known as "Choice", which is equivalent to what is known as "marriage proposal" and "matchmaking". It is a decision made by the man after careful consideration. The Rites of the House of Wen Gong said, "The ceremony of choosing a bride is the same as what is known in this world as the "marriage proposal"." In ancient times, it was simpler and simpler, as recorded in the Rites of Passage for the Scholarly Class, the meeting gift for the scholarly class, known as "Zhi" or "Zhi Zhi", was only "with geese". The original should stick pheasant, but the pheasant is not easy to catch, mostly dead pheasant, wedding is not appropriate, and the wedding is a major life event, so the licensed newcomers have to cross their status level to wear and use clothing line.

In the Tongdian of the Tang Dynasty, Du You recorded 30 kinds of gifts for the wedding ceremony:

The crimson crimson goat is the symbol of heaven, the crimson is the symbol of earth, and the goat is the symbol of peace and harmony

The goose The goose is the symbol of the yang

The wine is the symbol of the yang

The liquor is the symbol of the blessings of the yang

The round-grained polished rice The round-grained polished rice is the symbol of the common millet millet

The common millet is the symbol of the common millet

The bushel of bushes The bushel of bushes The bushel of bushes The bushel of bushes The bushel of bushes The bushel of bushes The bushel of bushes The bushel of bushes Many and soft

Reed, long-lasting and soft

Cedar, the cypress, which grows in curls

Jiahe, the golden harvest, which is a source of wealth

wisps and strands of clothing, the wisps and strands of long life, and the glue, the glue that binds the different kinds of people together

lacquer, the lacquer of the inner and outer worlds

five-coloured threads, five-coloured threads, the threads of the five-coloured threads, the threads of the five-coloured threads, which have a long history of growth and extension

hohanling, the harmony of the sounds of the hohanling

ninja-imo, the nine sons of Mo, and the nine sons of Mo. Long-lived children and grandchildren

Money Money is more than money

Roku and vanilla Roku and vanilla are good luck

Phoenix Phoenix and male and female are in harmony

Sherry Beast Sherry Beast is honest and humble

Mandarin ducks Mandarin ducks must be in harmony

Fortunate Beast Blessed Beast has a respectful body and a merciful heart

Fish Fish is in the abyss and has no shot

Deer The deer is the same as the deer, which is also known as the Roku.

The bird knows how to feed, and is filial to its husband's mother

The woman of the nine sons has four achievements

Yangsui (阳燧) Yangsui (阳燧) has become a famous man and has settled down

A Dan (又丹) The Dan (又丹) is the glory of the king's color, and the green is the head of the color, which is first seen in the east

Asking for a name

Asking for a name refers to when a man asks a woman's family for her daughter's name, her eight signs, and the date she was born.

Naji

Naji, that is, the finalization of the marriage, a little like the Westerners, this is actually the marriage has been initially agreed.

Naji

Naji, that is, over the ceremony; "Naji" is the meaning of the bride price, and "Naji" is the meaning of "into the". During the ceremony, the man's family will invite two or four female relatives (who must be fully blessed), together with a matchmaker, to the woman's home to bring the bride price, gift money, and bride price; after the completion of the bride price ceremony, the marriage contract will be formalized. The marriage contract is finalized after the marriage ceremony is completed. The man's family will choose an auspicious date for the marriage, and then prepare an auspicious date book and gifts for the woman's family. After the woman's family receives the gift and agrees to it, the date of the marriage will be finalized.

Personal welcome

The personal welcome, also known as welcoming the bride, is the day of the wedding, the groom will go to the bride's home with the matchmaker and friends and relatives to welcome the bride. Before the groom goes to the woman's home, he will first go to the ancestral temple of the woman's home to pay his respects, and then take the bride back to the man's home in a sedan chair. The bride and groom will hold a ceremony to worship heaven, earth and ancestors in the man's house, and then be sent to the bridal chamber.

Exchanging genealogical records

Exchanging genealogical records is the exchange of genealogical records between the man's and the woman's families as a proof of betrothal. After the matchmaker proposes a marriage, if the eight characters of the man and the woman's hour and morning do not collide, the two sides will change the genealogy.

Over Wen Ding

The man's family will choose an auspicious day, bring some gifts to the woman's home, gifts are generally three sacrifices, wine gift, and so on, and formally presented the letter of engagement.

Over the big gift

After the "over Wen Ding" is held, the "over the big gift" ceremony will be held, which is the most solemn and important ceremony of the betrothal; because after this ceremony is This is the most solemn and important ceremony of the betrothal, because after this ceremony, the marriage contract is officially finalized. As with the "Wending" ceremony, the man's family will choose an auspicious day and bring the bride price and various gifts to the woman's home, while the woman's family will also prepare gifts in return.

Men's Gifts

The following gifts are all in even numbers, depending on local customs.

Hire: This means that the man recognizes and thanks the woman's parents for their daughter's upbringing.

Hiring cake: one quan (50 kilograms)

Seafood: four, six or eight styles, depending on the financial situation of the man's family and the number of styles. Each style is usually divided into two packages. Among them, hairy vegetable is a must for its meaning of wealth, while other seafood includes abalone, dried oysters, dried scallops, mushrooms, shrimp, squid, sea cucumber, shark's fin and fish maw.

Three animals: two pairs of chickens, two males and two females (if the parents are not full, this is a pair of sufficient); pork three to five pounds of double fly (hi only fly), that is, a piece of connected open two, to show fruitful and sincere respect.

Fish: big fish or pangolins; meaning fishy; also means that there is a lot of money in the year.

Coconut: two pairs (one for each parent), meaning that there is a master (coconut) and a son.

Wine: four bottles, which means that love is strong.

Siking Fruit: Dried longan, dried lychee, dried peach and peanuts in shell, to bless the prosperity of children and grandchildren, but also implies the meaning of perfect happiness and endless life.

Raw fruit: that is, the meaning of raw and fierce

Four-color sugar: that is, icing sugar, orange cake, winter melon sugar and golden prickly, which means the elephant sweet and dense, and the meaning of white head to old age.

Tea and sesame: Because tea must be planted with seeds, so the tea as a gift, a metaphor for the woman once the marriage contract, it is necessary to keep faith, no regrets, that is, the "oil and sesame tea ceremony".

Post box (gift box): inside the lotus seeds, lilies, green wisps, cypress, betel nut two pairs, sesame seeds, red beans, green beans, red dates, dried peach, dried longan, and red head rope, Li Shi, bride price, jewelry gold, dragon and phoenix candles, and a couplet

Cannon bracelet gold: incense (boneless feet through the green), cannon (big firecrackers and big firecrackers), bracelet (dragon and phoenix pairs of happy bracelets).

Do two rice: the man prepared twelve pounds of glutinous rice, three pounds of two sugar, which is for the female family to do the dumplings, in order to take its perfect, sweet and full of meaning.

Women's gifts

Depending on the region varies, list one or two:

1, Kaifeng region of Henan

Combination cabinet and other furniture

Television bicycles or motorcycles washing machine quilts 6 or 8, 10, 12, and so on, even the number of raw noodles, raw noodles, baked goods, a number of 2. Southern regions. Half of the gifts from the man's family or a number of tea fruits Lotus root, taro, pomegranate (a pair of each) Hervey scarf pants: meaning long life and wealth Shoes (a pair of): meaning together (shoes) to old age Bianbai, ginger, tea, fried piles, muffins Back to the bride-price Betel nut (receive one, the rest of the number of all back to the man's family): meaning one to the end of the groom

Settling the bed

After selecting the lucky day, a few days before the wedding by the A few days before the wedding, the "man of good fortune" moves the new bed to an appropriate location. The location should be determined by the eight characters of the man and the woman, as well as the position of the gods, and the bed should not be placed in a position where it is opposite to the sharp corners of the table and cupboards.

Then, a "grandchildren lady" is responsible for making the bed, and put all kinds of fruit, dried lychee, red and green beans and lai see.

After the bed is made, it is forbidden to let yourself or other adults sit or lie on the bed, and it is especially forbidden for widows and the widowed; however, babies can be allowed to play on the bed first, which is a sign that they will be rich and have a lot of money.

Dowry

The dowry should be sent to the man's family at least one day before the wedding. The amount of dowry symbolizes the status and wealth of the woman's family. In addition to jewelry, the dowry is mainly auspicious things:

Butterflies: scissors

Sweetness: candy

Flowers: vase

Plenty of clothes: 72 sets of clothes

Crying for Marriage

According to the Records of Rituals, "Confucius said, "The family of the marrying woman will not rest the candle for three nights, thinking of the daughter's family, and will not stop the candle for three nights, but will not stop the candle for three days. Confucius said, "In the house of the bridegroom, there will be no candle for three nights, thinking of being separated from each other."

Crying for marriage may be something hard to understand today; but in ancient times, because transportation was not as convenient as it is in modern times, daughters who were married off would hardly have the chance to see their families.

And in fact, it was not possible for a married woman to return to her mother's home to visit her family at any time, as is the case today; returning to her mother's home required the approval of her husband's family.

In addition, there is also the following statement: the cry for marriage originates from the fact that women could not have a free marriage in ancient times, so they would use the cry for marriage song to accuse the unfair marriage system in ancient times.

The top

In ancient times, men performed the "crown rite" at the age of twenty, indicating that they had reached adulthood. A woman, on the other hand, was fourteen years old when she came of age and performed the ceremony of "reaching maturity". Marking has reached the age of marriage. Therefore, the rite of passage and marriage and wedding have a thousand and one relationship.

After the wedding, the woman needs to change the comb hair style, to show that she is no longer a girl, but a bride to be married.

"Open face" refers to the bride's face with fine fluff twisted hair, so that the face is more polished.

"Hair combing" is a very elaborate ceremony. Comb hair to use a new comb, to help "on the head" of the person must be "full of blessings" (commonly known as "good life" and "good life woman"), that is, this person is a "good life" and "good life woman "

In addition to this, the first time I saw this, I was able to see the whole world, and I was able to see the whole world.

In addition, the mother's family will also host a banquet to invite guests, and the solemnity of the "top" can be seen here.

"Good fortune" and "good fortune woman" for the bride and groom combing hair, one side comb, one side said:

A comb comb to the end, two comb comb to gray hair, three comb comb to children and grandchildren all over the ground, four comb comb comb to the four silver bamboo shoots to the end of the standard Qi Gaikou

The bride will usually have to go to the hospital to have a good time, and then she can go to the hospital.

The bride will usually be three feet long on one side of a square red scarf on the head, the red scarf called called "cover scarf", commonly known as cover head.

For the cover this wedding custom, there are generally two sayings: one of them is said to cover the head is to cover the shame; and the other is said to be derived from the ancient plunder of the wedding, said the bride covered with a cover will never find the way back. Welcome the bride

In ancient times, the man had to welcome the bride in marriage. "This is the grandest of the six rites of passage. Without the groom to meet the bride, there would be no bride to marry. Ancient welcome, there are on foot, there is also a car, the more common is to use the eight sedan chair to meet the bride. Carrying the sedan chair must be physically strong, meet other people's sedan chair, absolutely can not meet with them, must go around. Meet the bride back, but also the most a road back, to take the meaning of not going back. If the way through the temple, shrine, grave, well, river, etc., must be married by the man's hand Zhang red felt will sedan chair cover, as the "evil" meaning.

If you meet the funeral procession on the way, the bridegroom will say, "Today is auspicious, meet the treasure wealth! Why is this so? Is it a treasure to meet a funeral procession? In fact, this is because the coffin of the harmonic "Guan Cai", that is, to see the meaning of the treasure, so that the main purpose of saying this is to figure out a good luck.

Worship

"Worship", also known as "worship of heaven and earth", is a very important ceremony in the wedding. Interestingly, the "worship" is not part of the ancient rituals of the "three books and six rites".

"Baidang" this wedding custom in the Song Dynasty and later very popular, after "Baidang", the woman will officially become a member of the male family. "

The wedding officiant would say loudly:

"One bye bye to heaven and earth, two bye bye to high hall, husband and wife pay respect to each other, all into the cave room."

In fact, worshiping heaven and earth represents honoring the gods of heaven and earth; while worshiping the high hall is the embodiment of filial piety; and as for husband and wife worshiping, it represents that husband and wife respect each other as guests. To a certain extent, conjugal worship was one of the few times in ancient times when women could have the same taste as men. Going out

Going out means that the bride leaves her mother's house. When the auspicious time arrives, the woman is carried on the palanquin by the lady of the house; it is said that it is bad luck for the bride to land on her feet.

On the way out, the bride's sister-in-law is not allowed to see her off, because the word "sister-in-law" has the same sound as the word "broomstick", so it is believed that seeing the sister-in-law off on the way out will bring bad luck.

Nowadays, when the bride goes out, the bridesmaids (who accompany the bride to the man's house and must be unmarried) hold red umbrellas to protect the bride, in the sense of spreading the leaves. As the bride and her sisters walk, they sprinkle rice in the air, on top of the umbrella and on top of the float to "feed the golden chickens", meaning that the chickens will not peck at the bride after they peck at the rice. Finally, before the float, the bride will bow to the friends and relatives to show their gratitude.

Passing through the door

Passing through the door means that the bride goes out from the woman's house and officially enters the man's house to meet her husband's aunt and other elders of the man's family. Legend has it that the aunt is not allowed to see the bride and groom directly in the hall, as this would cause conflict. So when the woman enters the man's house, the aunt will come out from her room to meet the new couple in the hall.

Then the bride and groom will pay respect to heaven and earth first, and then to their ancestors. The bride and groom will then pay homage to heaven and earth, and then to their ancestors. The bride and groom will then offer tea and kneel down to the aunt. The aunt will say some blessings and give jewelry and gifts to the bride. The bride is required to wear the jewelry immediately after receiving it as a token of appreciation. Then the bride and groom will offer tea to other elders and relatives.

Sanchao Hui Men

Sanchao Hui Men, that is, the return to the Ning, Sanchao refers to the third day after the wedding, the new bride accompanied by her husband, accompanied by the bride's home with roasted pig and gifts to pay tribute to the ancestors, and then return to the husband's home with her husband; according to legend, in the pre-Qin Dynasty, there has been such a custom.

Returning to the Ning, that is, back to the mother high to the parents to report the meaning of peace. In ancient times, the transportation is not as convenient as in modern times, if a woman wants her husband's home to be far away from her mother's home, the so-called married from the husband, the woman may not have the opportunity to return to her mother's home after her husband's home. Therefore, the return may be the last chance for a woman to set foot in her mother's home. Because of this, people attach great importance to this wedding custom.

In modern weddings, the man's family needs to prepare: a roasted pig (to show the bride's chastity)

Two boxes of cakes

A pair of wine, two sticks of bamboo (step by step), a pair of chickens, lettuce (Feng Sheng Shuiqi), two baskets of fruits, onions (loose), two boxes of noodles, chickens, lanterns, two pounds of pork belly and pork

The two typical features of the wedding ceremony in China

Although the structure of the wedding ceremony program remains stable, the evolution of the wedding style, the changes are quite obvious, therefore, this article will be in accordance with the two styles of classification to distinguish between them:

'Blueprint-type' wedding ceremony of the Zhou Dynasty - solemnity and elegance

Western Zhou Wedding System

Zhou wedding system, inherited from the ancient times to the Xia and Shang, integrated in the rituals and music of the founding of the state. Western Zhou, carried forward in the gentleman's style of the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States, stabilized in the final formation of the Han nation of the Chinese races, in the long three thousand years has always been the blueprint for the Chinese wedding, and eventually become a brilliant cloud.

At that time, the wedding was also called the faint ceremony. There was no extravagant bride-price, no ostentation, no noisy feasts. The wedding ceremony is important to the couple's righteousness and the gift of marriage, and do not think that this is a thing that can be noisy and noisy. At that time, the ceremony was simple and clean, there was no such complicated stuff as picking the cover and making a mess in the bridal chamber, the couple "fm radio" and "fm radio", and then joined hands in the bridal chamber. The next day to see the aunt and uncle, after three months to see the family temple, from then on, the bride officially into the husband's family. At that time, the faint dress is not a big red piece of people now misunderstand, but the dignified basalt dress (basalt, black in the red color, according to the idea of the five elements, is like a symbol of the sky, the most sacred color). The bridegroom's family does not extinguish the candle flame for three days, thinking of their daughter in the full light of the fire; the husband's family also does not raise music for three days, comforting the bride who misses her parents. The whole ceremony is quiet and peaceful. But there is a power in the quiet and delicate ceremony that shakes the heart - and perhaps that is the power we want to capture today. The quiet, beautiful ceremony that begins in the dusk reflects the breath of a long-lost civilization - the pure, beautiful and great Han civilization that speaks to the heart.

'Developmental' later weddings - festive and lively

This category refers to later Chinese weddings that evolved gradually from the Zhou wedding system. It is called 'developmental' because it is a mixture of many other sources of wedding customs and rituals, with many variations.

When the wedding was slowly put in the daytime is not known, perhaps because of the war after the Han Dynasty, the night is not safe, perhaps because of the infection of Hu customs, coupled with the later wedding ceremony gradually become bigger and longer, also

gradually put in the morning, so that the ceremony often lasts a day.

Unlike later weddings, the pre-Qin to the two Han Dynasty fainting ceremony, the female father to welcome his son-in-law at the door, the etiquette is very heavy, not to mention the son-in-law of the difficult things, Tang "Feng's wenxianliu" 6 Volume 5 cloud: "Modern marriage has a barrier car, under the son-in-law, but the fan and view of the flower and candle things." Since the wedding ceremony began with congratulatory guests and wedding banquets, the secular and celebratory atmosphere of weddings has gradually expanded. The celebratory atmosphere of weddings was the norm for living people, but it also came from the immersion of customs around Huaxia. The Hu wedding is very festive, and many of the miscellaneous customs of later weddings, such as making trouble in the bridal chamber, are the wedding customs of the Khitan. Crossing the fire bowl, on the other hand, comes from the Manchu. According to the Rites of Zhou, there is no cover for weddings, but the red cover has become a symbol of secular weddings. The wedding ceremony in the Rites of Passage did not hold music, no wine feast to honor the guests, only in the new room for the bride and groom to set up a special seat. In later times, the banquet for guests became an essential part of the wedding, and the disturbing of the room became a reserved program. Perhaps, we are more familiar with the wedding is: a worship of heaven and earth, two worship high hall, husband and wife worship

Throughout the above two traditional Chinese wedding mode, it is not difficult to see: the long history, the vastness of the country, the degree of cultural genetic variation is not small, after all, there is no exchange of nationalities on the earth does not exist in the development of weddings, the wedding system of the Chinese nation marriage rituals, absorbing the many foreign customs. Customs of many foreign peoples. After many active and passive inter-ethnic exchanges, through many national ups and downs, the Chinese wedding in the long time slowly change.

Intriguingly, from the revision of the ritual books, we can see the attitude of the ancients to this phenomenon: the preference for the Zhou ritual marriage system, the tolerance of the secular marriage system. As a result, the ideal and the secular are not contrary to each other, and each has its own market. This may be one of the characteristics of Chinese culture, the ancients have given a suitable way to deal with, do not have to be demanding uniformity.