Traditional Wedding Rituals in Taiwan

1. Na

Na Cai is the first step of the traditional wedding, the male bridegroom, see a family of gold, born of beauty very much, ancient times there is a door to introduce the marriage of the matchmaker, since you can find the matchmaker, that is willing to gather a certain family daughter as a daughter-in-law. Matchmaker gladly agreed to go to the woman's home to propose marriage, the woman's parents know that is the son of a person, weekdays are still loyal, such as the approval, the gift will be accepted, the first step of the marriage is considered a success.

2. Ask the name

Birthdate and eight characters: in folklore is very much valued, the ancient times there is said: "the first family style, the second wealth, the third talent, the fourth beauty and ugliness, the fifth health," as long as you know the year of a person's birth, the month, the day, the time, you can judge his destiny phase, a person is often in the birth of his daughter, requesting the counting of Mr. forged the eight characters of the most in line with the destiny of the phase, so the ancient times, the woman's birth, the month, the day, the day, and so on. Women's birth year, month, day, time, and the actual birthday is often a big difference, especially with "broken bones", or "hijacking" of the woman, we must not pick up the bone in the future commonly known as "pick up feng shui", so the saying goes: "women's life is not true, men's life is not false" (the woman's birth month, year, day and time are false) is the proof of forgery of the eight characters of the birth.

3. Naji: small booking

Naji that is, small hire, small fixed good time, the male party must prepare dozens of geese, pork, cakes, etc., by the matchmaker led by the bearer to carry the worker carried to the female family to hold the ceremony of Naji, the female party to receive the hired goods, the letter of appointment outside, but also to prepare some of the return of the goods in advance in the hall of sacrifice to the gods, ancestors, that is, to pay the matchmaker a red envelope with the bearer and the return of the hired goods, to reply to the appointment of the letter of placement of the middle, followed back to the male family. After that, they return to the man's home. The man also puts the return offerings in the hall to the ancestors and gods. This kind of book of engagement and book of reply, not only in the subsequent Naozheng (big recruitment, big decision), the pro-welcome must also be sent, as one of the indispensable wedding rituals.

4. Nazheng: the big booking

Nazheng that is the big decision, the male personnel in the hall after sitting, that is, by the matchmaker to the female bridegroom to present the letter of appointment, and will be the gift cake and the bridegroom's number, one by one, handed over to the female point of acceptance. At this time, the bridegroom will first gift cakes (cakes) and some offerings (dried fruits and so on) each pick some, in the gods, ancestors, incense to the gods, the female reception personnel, and to the male personnel to send halo noodle, please eat, the right to snacks. After eating, the female party according to the number of men, including the matchmaker in, each sent a red envelope, and then by the male leader of the uncle, to the female farewell and go. At noon, men and women, each hosted a banquet to entertain relatives, with Shen to celebrate the achievement of marriage. In ancient times, the transportation is not, both sides of the grandmother, uncle parents, aunt parents, aunt parents, live in distant places, but also one or two days in advance to arrive, after the ceremony, the fastest to three or two days after the farewell home. The woman gave back to the son-in-law clothes, hats, shoes and socks, and in-laws in-laws mother honoring relatives, and so on, also put in the original to bring back.

5. Please period: send the day

Please period is today's so-called betrothal, the marriage ceremony to Na Zheng has been largely completed. Husband and wife name has been determined, especially in ancient times, the woman if the name of the flower has a master, although not yet passed the door as long as the rituals of circumcision, the heart is already belonging to the husband's family, although the two sides or due to quarrels and the withdrawal of the marriage, but the bride-to-be think that this is related to the chastity of the bride, resolutely opposed to the withdrawal of the marriage. Therefore, the parents of the girl's daughter's behavior at this time, often have "girls outgoing" and sigh. The man's family is eager to get married because they are eager to have grandchildren. Therefore, they ask the date selector to choose a good time and auspicious day for the wedding, and ask the matchmaker to send it to the woman to ask for her consent. If the woman agrees, then both parties will start to prepare for the marriage.

6. Welcome: welcome

Welcome to the formal marriage initiation: vast, blowing and beating the way to the woman's home. After the bride on the palanquin, to welcome the procession started, the man brought the drums and cannons burning, the bride from the sedan chair to drop the paper fan, known as the "put sex ground". To be the father will be a bowl of water to the sedan chair after a violent splash, before the end of the matter. After the bride leaves, the dowry is carried empty, at this time, the woman seems to be as empty as the theft. So the saying goes: "Marrying a daughter is like stealing from a thief", which is really true. Splashing water and throwing paper fans have allusions; the saying goes: "A daughter who is married off is like splashing water; from this day on, she is no longer a member of our family! Throwing a fan means that from now on, you will no longer live in your mother's house! As the saying goes, "Let go of the fan and never see each other", which means that from now on, you will be someone's daughter-in-law or wife until you grow old together. Before getting married, mothers will tell their daughters not to step on the threshold when they first enter their homes. Then the bride and groom should pay homage to their ancestors in heaven and earth, then to the high hall, and finally to the husband and wife. After paying respect, the bride and groom are sent to the bridal chamber, where the groom removes the bride's "head covering" and eats the "bride's dumplings" together, representing the reunion of the five generations. Half of the dumplings eaten, the two swap and eat again, on behalf of the heart to heart, and drink the same wine, so the wedding is complete.

Types of Marriage

(1)Big Marriage (Ordinary Marriage, where a woman marries into a man's family)

(2)Small Marriage (Also known as half-recruitment and half-marriage, where the husband and son-in-law have contractual obligations to the woman's family in terms of support, burial and sacrifice, and continuation of the family's succession)

(3)Husband-recruiting (where a widow recruits a husband to marry her)

(4)Son-in-law-recruiting (where a man is incorporated into a woman's family, and the children born to the woman take the woman's surname)

(5)Marriage (where a man is incorporated into a family, and the children born to the wife are given the wife's surname). children born to the woman's family name style, can also make a period of contract)

(5) Child Bride (A child bride is a person who gives a small amount of money to another person to take his young daughter back to raise her, and in the future, she will marry her son and become a daughter-in-law.)

(6) Underworld Marriage (It is to marry a person who has passed away, or as it is called: marrying a divine lord's sign.)