Chinese Wedding Tradition and Superstitions
中文版连接: 中式婚礼礼俗与礼仪
Collection of the Bride
When the auspicious day arrives, the groom will personally lead the bridal party to the bride’s home.
As a tradition, the groom waits at the front gate of the bride’s home and begs for the bride. In attempt to test the groom’s patience and sincerity, there would be a series of courtesy he must fulfil before the bride’s family would open the gate to him. As a part of this ceremony, the groom must also prepare red pockets (money placed in envelop) to satisfy the ‘door blockers’.
After the groom finally enters the bride’s home, he exchanges greetings with her family and delivers gifts that commonly implies prosperity and happiness. Then they would be on their way to the groom’s family home for the marriage ceremony. It is important to note that they must take a different road to the one that the groom took to the bride’s home, implying ‘do not turn back’ or ‘no regrets’.
The groom rides either his horse or a green sedan chair that leads the bridal party back to his family home. In the bridal party, there are commonly a mix of musicians and flag holders, the loud music they play would drive the evil spirits away, in exchange for blessings from everyone in the village. The bride’s red sedan chair would follow in the rear.
Arrival Ceremony (Jump Brazier)
Then the sedan chair containing the bride arrives at the groom’s house, two servants paves a red felt carpet from the sedan chair all the way into the house so that the bride wouldn't step on the plain ground, stepping onto the ground is considered back luck. During this time the groom stands before a divine table dedicated to the Heaven and Earth. He would hold a bow and shoot the body of the bride with 3 symbolic arrows in order to drive the evil spirits away. The bride then strides over a saddle of the horse and jumps over a brazier to complete the arrival ceremony.
Marriage Ceremony
After the above arrival ceremony, the couple proceeds to the marriage ceremony. The ceremony takes place in a room next to the bridal chamber. In the centre of the room, rests a divine bench with memorial plates and incense which allows the newlyweds to their respect or homage to the Heaven and Earth, as well as their ancestors. The parents sits on 2 sides of this bench. The ceremony begins with two male hosts (generally ones from the same village who have good luck and lots of children) guides them to complete three kneeling and nine kowtows, and to pay homage to Heaven and Earth, as well as the family ancestors and the parents of both parities, and then finally guiding them to bow to each other.
Bridal Chamber
After the marriage ceremony, the bride is led by servants into the bridal chamber. Still wearing the veil, she sits on the bed and awaits for the groom. The groom arrives in the chamber shortly after and uncovers his bride’s veil; it is common for it to be the very first time ever that they see what their other half looks like, hence this event is called ‘first meeting’. The groom then removes the velvet flower head piece from his bride and rearranges it either on top or on the side of her head. Superstition suggests that a boy would be conceived if the flower was worn on a higher spot, a girl would be conceived if worn on a lower spot.