Marriage is a major event in life, as well as in the family and even the family. Modern people advocate freedom of marriage. Those who get married on honeymoon mostly simplify marriage customs and generally treat themselves to a hotel to celebrate their marriage. However, many marriage customs are still passed down among the people.
Chaozhou people’s marriages usually started with a matchmaker in the past. After the matchmaker introduced the man’s family, he usually took the woman’s parents to the man’s family to inspect the family tradition. If the woman’s family agreed to propose marriage, they would send the birth dates of both men and women to the man’s family. If the two lives are in harmony, the marriage will be completed.
Of course, both men and women also need to meet and fall in love. If you fall in love at first sight, you will be in love with each other, and then you will start planning your marriage.
The first step in marriage is to propose marriage, which is also what women do to gain respect. Chaozhou As the saying goes, "deeds" are called "deeds", "With a mortar, pigs and sheep come, and without a mortar, a beautiful mother comes." In the old days, deeds included deposits, good luck, gifts, biscuits, bean sticks, etc. Modern society has developed, families have become rich, and in addition to generous gifts, there are also gifts of wine, cigarettes, and electrical appliances. It all depends on your heart.
Offering a betrothal is an important ceremony in a marriage. Song Luyou's "Changganxing" states: Although the betrothal money is as high as a mountain, one does not want to join the Hou family. It shows that marriage is free and the betrothal gift is just a formality. The betrothal gift from the groom's family includes sweets and cakes, and the bride's family will give it to relatives and neighbors. This is a common way for people to publicly announce the marriage.
The girl's family receives the bride price as a bride price and must give a gift in return. If the girl's family is wealthy, they will receive cars, beds, electrical appliances, etc., and of course, candies. This is commonly known as "dowry". After receiving the gift in return, the groom's family immediately decorates the new house and sends candies and invitations to relatives and neighbors to invite them to the wedding banquet on the wedding day.
After applying for a job, the new house is decorated and affixed with red double happiness. The lucky man is asked to set up the bed and affixed with the words "Good luck to the bed". A wedding lantern is hung in front of the door and the lintel of the room is affixed with "Qilin is here".
When getting married on the wedding day, in the old days, it was usually avoided during the daytime, and the bride had to hold an umbrella. This is no longer the case in modern times.
Before the wedding day, the bride needs face-lifting plastic surgery, invites her sisters to eat sweet and rich life dishes together, and the sisters give her congratulatory gifts. Then the groom came to welcome the bride on a white horse, which in modern times has been replaced by a car.
When the bride steps out of the house, the bride’s brother closes the door, which means that the bride will become her husband’s family from now on. When the bride gets on the sedan chair, the elders pour floral water on the sedan chair, which also means "splashing water cannot be collected".
The sedan arrived at the door of the husband's house, firecrackers blared, and drums and drums blared. "The sedan curtains were rolled up and I was very happy. The bride was beautiful and gentle. The groom came to hold the bride's hand and they both walked into the house." The bride covered her head with a red scarf and was supported by the bridesmaid. Get out of the sedan chair.
The groom’s house has been decorated with lanterns and decorations early and has prepared all kinds of wedding supplies, usually various kinds of rice cakes with Chaozhou characteristics, such as red peach cakes, hair cakes, etc. Under the guidance of the clan elders, the bride and groom worship heaven and earth, ancestors, parents, land, God, parents, and the husband and wife bow to each other. After the ceremony, the bride enters the bridal chamber, the groom uncovers the bride's red scarf, the couple drinks a cup of wine, and eats knot pills. , five fruit soup.
△▴
Wedding supplies
Entertaining relatives, friends and neighbors is usually held at noon. The wedding banquet must include whole chickens, whole fish, and two desserts, "sweet at the beginning and sweet at the end." The bride has to pay homage to her husband's family and the elders in the clan. She has to serve sweet tea and kneel down. The elders give red envelopes or gold and silver jewelry, which is called a "face-appreciating gift." There is no face-appreciating gift for ordinary people and younger generations.
When a bride returns to her natal home after marriage, it is called "returning to her mother's home", and when she returns to her natal home for the first time, it is called "returning to her mother's home for the first time." When returning to the house for the first time, the bride must wear Ruyi flowers and fairy grass, and wear the same clothes as when she got married. The couple cannot talk during the whole trip. As a son-in-law, the bridegroom must bring generous gifts when he meets his parents-in-law for the first time, mainly including big gifts, betel nuts, noodles, gift cakes, candies, etc. The bride's family keeps these gifts and some of the betel nuts, and sends red envelopes back to the son-in-law's home. Relatives.
The parents-in-law invite their son-in-law to a banquet, with desserts, good fortune, and "four golden pieces" cut into roosters. The dishes are usually eight or twelve.
In the married life after that, having a baby as soon as possible becomes the top priority. For the sake of good luck, the bride usually prays to gods and Buddhas to give birth to a healthy and smart baby.
She is pregnant with a baby for ten months. It is also a busy time for both the husband's and bride's families. The bride's brothers usually bring eggs and gifts to visit the bride at her husband's family. The husband's family must also prepare a wedding banquet to entertain relatives and neighbors. , the day when the baby was born is called "Kaichu" in Chaozhou.
It is the time for men to get married and for women to get married. Marriage is a major event in life.
In Chaozhou, marriage events are usually held very grandly.
The wedding day is often a day of laughter and laughter among relatives, friends and neighbors, and a day full of guests.
Although some of Chaozhou's marriage customs are no longer passed down,
the custom of family members, or even members of the entire clan, still exists.
The article is reprinted from Chaozhou Tourism Bureau
Material source丨Hollow wood
