Tujia wedding customs in wedding programs

Folk custom, that is, folk custom, refers to the life culture created, enjoyed and passed down by adults of a country or nation. Marriage is the most basic system and activity to maintain human reproduction and social continuity, and as a folk phenomenon, its content mainly includes two aspects: marriage form and marriage ceremony.

In various regions of our country, the marriage forms of all ethnic groups are varied, and the etiquette and customs that run through the marriage process are even more varied and complicated. My hometown, Tujia nationality, who lives in the mountainous area of Fan Jing in the northeast of Guizhou, is no exception. It has its own unique wedding customs and ceremonies. It doesn't depend entirely on the free love between men and women, nor does it listen to the words of parents' matchmakers. Generally speaking, it can be divided into three parts: recognizing ancestors, intending to kiss, setting a Geng, opening a kiss, giving gifts, welcoming a kiss and returning to the door.

When the relationship between husband and wife enters the stage of talking about marriage, the man will invite the elder known by the woman as an introducer, and both men and women will go to each other's home to "recognize their ancestors", that is, formally visit their parents and elders. The introducer will also act as a matchmaker, entrusted by the man's family, pull strings from it, propose marriage to the woman's family, "ask for age" and obtain the consent of the woman's parents and elders. In this way, the man can formally propose to the woman, that is, "hand over the book." "Book delivery" should be held on two days of each month. The man prepares meat and wine for the woman as gifts and "books". This book is folded with red paper and contains 12 yuan, which means that the moon in December is red. Write "Please give Honggeng" on the outside, and write the date of birth of the man on the right (Tujia people call it "generous"), and fill in the date of birth of the woman on the left. Then the man lets his husband "watch the day" according to the birth dates of both men and women, and the man and the matchmaker go to the woman's house to decorate incense, light candles and shoot guns, so as to determine the wedding date, that is, engagement. Men and women communicate openly until the wedding day comes.

? Three days or half a month before the wedding, Tujia newlyweds began to "cry for marriage", not only for their grandparents, but also for their relatives and ancestors, pouring out their feelings of parting. Women of the same race will come to "cry" and sing "marriage songs". At that time, there will be a singing venue in the hall, and all the men, women and children in the village will come to participate in backup singing and duet. Whoever sings a song is given a needle by the singer, and finally gets more needles than anyone else, which is a good singer who is praised. But now that marriage is free, Tujia girls don't pay much attention to this wedding ceremony. Generally, they just cry to their parents before going out and getting on the bus, and then their parents will give them red envelopes and ask them to be sensible when they go to their in-laws.

The woman's family should prepare the banquet one day ahead of the man. On the second day after the woman prepares the banquet, the man will ask his elders and matchmakers to take the lead in giving the bride price to her home, that is, sending the bride price to her home. Generally, it is necessary to prepare half a pig, two sets of clothes for the woman's parents, a dress and gold jewelry for the woman's wedding day. The day before the wedding, the woman's family will give a "flower banquet" to relatives and friends who come to congratulate, which is the wine of the woman's family. The groom will pick up the bride and groom, prepare oil tea for relatives and friends in the evening, and the two will start to sort out the bride's dowry. "Mother Guan Ji" will fill the woman's box with peanuts, longan, red dates and other dried fruits. Aunties and aunts used to twist their faces and change clothes to make the bride more relaxed, but now there is no such ceremony, just giving the bride some entrustment. When going out to Geely, the bride's dowry will be carried by the bride's relatives. The bride should put on her head, bow before the incense in the main room, and hold the bride's umbrella. When the bride can't stand still, the bride's brother will get on the bus, put on new shoes, fire a gun, and leave for her husband's house with a "farewell".

At the door of the husband's family, the husband invited by the husband's family will set the table to chant Buddhist scripture, and then throw the rooster on the roof to exorcise evil spirits. Then the bride enters the house, visits her parents with the groom in the middle of the room, and then enters the new house. During the marriage, two women made the bed for the couple and hid the dried fruits, wedding candy, wedding cake and red eggs brought by the bride in various parts of the bed. After drinking the wedding banquet, the couple will let everyone touch the red eggs, but only men can enter. At lunchtime, the couple will propose a toast to their relatives and friends at the dinner party, give the shoes brought by the woman, and then the relatives and friends will give the bride a red envelope. At night, someone will make trouble in the bridal chamber until everyone is dispersed.

On the third day after marriage, the bride and her parents will give the bride red envelopes, which are mostly lucky numbers such as 60 yuan, 120 yuan. Then everyone has a meal together. After the couple return to their in-laws' house, the marriage is finished.

The above is the wedding in my memory. At that time, I lived in my hometown, a Tujia nationality, and there were many incomplete places.

Marriage custom in marriage ceremony has its cultural connotation. As a folk activity, marriage custom is the intangible culture of all ethnic groups. They are not only the witness of the social and historical development of all ethnic groups, but also the cultural resources reflecting the spirit of all ethnic groups.