Shanxi Xinzhou marriage customs

Welcoming, also known as "welcoming the bride" and "marrying the bride", is equal to the "six rites" in the "pro-welcoming". Usually the groom himself to the bride's home to marry the bride, but in Xinzhou, Lvliang, some places, there are also matchmakers or brother-in-law to lead the wedding team to marry, and the groom at home to sit and wait.

Welcome the bride's team, the old days to use a variety of ceremonial weapons, from front to back, there are gunners, open road gong, open road flag, "quiet", "avoidance" Zhu card, lanterns, golden melon, axe and battle-axe, stirrups towards the sky, dragon and tiger flags, fans, day cover! ...... blowing drums and music is not to be missed. Sedan chair is generally two times, the groom, the bride a ride. Go to the time, the bride's sedan chair example is not empty line, Jinnan area to put the flower cake, green buns as the town; Jinzhong place by a bride with the same genus, parents healthy little boy sitting in the sedan chair, known as the "pressure sedan chair happy herdsman". Shanxi, all over the marriage procession, there should be accompanied by the groom. Zuoquan area, is the older relatives and friends to find two people, known as the "ice people"; and then from the groom's children and nephews in the generation to find a groom about the same age, known as the "son-in-law". Yanbei Pinglu and other places pay attention to the "female one male two", to the groom's brother-in-law and two older brothers with the sedan chair to go with the return; back, the female side of the natural "a woman and two men" accompanied by the marriage. Datong area to marry, send the bride is specialized in the two sides of the female family members skilled in etiquette to accompany. To accompany the groom, the Taigu area is called "companion"; the female side to accompany the bride, it is called "send guest". The "send guest" outside, the woman and then go to the people, is "eat guest".

Daughter in the marriage before, Shanxi, most of the custom of "crying marriage", known as "daughter-in-law crying, the mother's family rich". According to folklore experts, the origin of this custom with the ancient times of the "marriage" related to the later woman was plundered when the cry gradually evolved into the wedding customs of the "cry marriage". This is not a happy and sad, often has its true content. Generally sigh ** no worries about the end of the girl's life, thanks to the parents of the grace of upbringing, nostalgia for brother and sister-in-law siblings and girlfriends of the friendly feelings, at the same time, for the wife, daughter-in-law of the life of the transition is very confused and uneasy. If the wedding is not quite satisfied, feel aggrieved, but also to take the opportunity to play, crying and crying a special. The bride's mother, girlfriend and the family of women, generally have to accompany the cry.

After the arrival of the wedding party, the woman's door is often closed by the bride's sister or girlfriends, lock. On the one hand, to show the dignity of the female family, on the other hand, is to deliberately tease the bride. The bride is afraid of missing the hour, only to pay the "door money" thing. Lvliang Liulin area, the wedding party to the door of the female family, to drive a sheep in front of the door, commonly known as "hit the door". After the wedding party to enter the door, the female party set up a feast hospitality. Jinzhong Yuji and other places, entertaining the son-in-law, in addition to a range of food and wine, there are pancakes as staple food, when the new son-in-law must "steal" a dozen pancakes, a few pairs of chopsticks and some wine, locally known as "get rich". Jinnan Xiangfen area, the groom, the bride ate the same "wedding cake". Southeast Jinqin County and other places, the daughter before the trip to eat egg cakes, commonly known as "three eggs and a pot of wine, sent the girl on the sedan chair away.

After the withdrawal of the groom again to the father-in-law, mother-in-law kowtow resignation. Jinzhong Qixian area, the father-in-law at this time to son-in-law red, hairpin. Then the music was loud, the wedding party plus the female party to accompany the personnel, with a more grand momentum set off. "Wedding", "faint" homophonic, some places in southern Jinnan still retains the bride's night to get married to the old customs, the bride's family feast on the groom, until the first night before sending the girl out.

When a daughter gets married and leaves home, there are customs all over Shanxi that do not bring the mother's soil. Folk believe that "soil can produce everything, the ground can produce gold", afraid of taking away the soil will take away the good luck of the mother's family to grow crops. This is naturally a traditional concept y rooted in agricultural society. When a daughter gets married, she should put on new shoes on the bed, and then be carried on the back or carried to the sedan chair by her brother or uncle; or sit on a chair and be carried to the sedan chair by people; in some places, the ground is paved with red felt or red cloth, and the daughter removes her old shoes, and then changes to new shoes after entering the sedan chair. No matter how to go out, anyway, the feet do not touch the ground.

Daughter on the way, southeast Jinqin County area, the mother with tears around the sedan chair two laps, silently wishing her daughter happiness and good luck; the father is a symbolic escort "hundred steps", and then by his uncle, uncle, brother, brother and so on, accompanied by four people to send their relatives.

Welcome to marry the route is generally concerned about going back to the big loop, back when not going to the road. Jinzhong Qixian area based on the location of the village, there are Xuanwu (North) into the Zhuque (South) out; or White Tiger (West) into the Qinglong (East) out of the saying. Marriage procession with red felt or red cloth, in addition to the bride on and off the sedan chair tread, passing through temples, wells or stone mills, stone mill, but also used to cover the sedan chair window and the bride, intended to prevent the White Tiger Star and other ghosts Chong Weiqi disturbed. Road meets other people's marriage team, the two sides to exchange "needle and thread", that is, the bride's female red disaster. Now meet the bride team to give each other handkerchiefs, that is, this legacy.

Welcome to the wedding in the old days with a sedan or car, in addition to this, Lvliang mountainous areas in some places, the bride got married riding a donkey; Changzhi, Tunliu, etc., the bride, the groom have to ride a horse. Yanbei Pinglu area there is a "mule pack sedan chair" special means of transportation, that is, two mules a front and a back carrying a long sedan chair. The day of the wedding, "mule driver" is the most respected, they are dressed in black new clothes; head wrapped in a white towel, well-dressed and dry. It is said that they can not only the "mule pack sedan chair" to drive a stable, but also to make people suffer from the pain of bumps, so happy money is not to give less.

On the day of the wedding, the groom, the bride's makeup varies from time to time and place to place. In the old days, the groom wore a wide-brimmed black hard hat and a long coat and robe, which was later changed to a uniform, and now most of them are dressed in suits.

Jinzhong, Jinnan and other places, the bride dress is more special, to wear a phoenix crown on the head, wearing a python robe, waist support jade belt, like the image of the Queen Mother on the stage. Later, do not wear python saturated, change the set of red cotton jacket; do not wear the crown, change to wear tea-colored glasses, all changed to wear fashion.