Traditional marriage

Gift Letter


Wedding Letter

Six Etiquette

Request for Marrying the Bride

Groom’s family hires a spokeswoman to communicate with bride’s family Parents of family were the important parties not bride and groom Spokeswoman gets bride’s birthday (called eight letters) and brings boy’s birthday to the bride’s family for review if bride’s birthday is acceptable Parents would give birth dates to an astrologist to confirm that the bride and groom were a good fit

Request for Birth Dates

பைடு நூலகம்
Six Etiquette (Cont.)

Initial gifts to the Bride


If girl’s birthday is accepted gifts will be brought to the bride’s family Gifts were received along with a request letter
~Shu Shu Costa
Three Letters

Traditional Chinese MarriageChinese marriage is important to perpetuate and ensure the survival of the family. Although the marriage is officially recognized once it is registered with the Register of Marriages, a Chinese wedding ceremony and banquet must be held before the marriage is acknowledged by society. A Chinese marriage that does not observe proper Chinese customs is invalid in the eyes of most Chinese.There are two types of marriage among Chinese. One is the marriage arranged by the parents and relatives, the other is a marriage based on one's own willingness and choice. Arranged marriage is no longer widely accepted. Liberal marriage is more practical because it allows a person the freedom to choose his or her own spouse. Parents usually abide by their children' choices.There are prescribed ages for marriage (21 years old for women and 23 years old for men). Once the choice is made, all other aspects of the wedding are normally taken over by the parents and older relatives. Thus all traditional customs are observed. A typical wedding ceremony is supposed to impress the friends and relatives of both bride and groom with the families' social status and prosperity.There are 5 important stages in a Chinese arranged marriage.1. Information gatheringInformation gathering is the investigation of the background of the bride and her family. This is done very diplomatically. The reputation and social status of the bride's family is important. The groom's family needs to be assured that the personality, character and behavior of the bride are above reproach. Usually the first meeting of two families will be held at a restaurant. The conversation will center on general and mutual topics of interest, especially regarding family background and origins. Good presentations from both sides will lead to a successful marriage arrangement.2. NegotiationWhen both families are satisfied with each other's background, the parents will negotiate on the amount of dowry expected, the number of tables allocated to each family for the wedding banquet and the choice of a suitable date for the marriage. Negotiations can be done directly or through a middleman.3. EngagementAfter negotiations are ended, the engagement is announced. An engagement is only an indication that a couple intends to be married. A typical engagement is simple, the bride and groom exchange rings and a dinner is held for close relatives. The length of engagement depends on the couple concerned.4. Wedding DowryThe dowry will be presented to the bride's family according to what was negotiated in the initial phases of the marriage agreement. Dowry can be jewelry, cloth, cash, etc. In China, the dowry is a symbolic compensation to the bride's family for the loss of their daughter. For the sake of the family's reputation, the dowry must comply with the status and wealth of the groom's family. A notification of the date of marriage and further wedding details follow the presentation of the dowry. The groom's family is then treated to a banquet.5. WeddingA suitable day is selected for the wedding ceremony and banquet based on the Chinese lunar calendar. On the wedding day, the groom, accompanied by close friends and younger relatives, must go to the bride's house to greet the bride. First the groom with his companions must give money to the relatives of the bride who have set up obstacles to keep the groom from finding the bride. The money will help him in his quest to successfully find his bride. Then the couple needs to serve tea to the bride's parent.After being granted permission by the bride's parents, the couple departs for the groom's house. The residence will be beautifully decorated, mostly in red. The most auspicious colors for the wedding costume are white, red and yellow. The couple is prohibited from wearing other colors. From the moment the bride enters the door of the groom' residence, she becomes a part of his family. The bride is required to serve tea to the groom's parents. After this ceremony, the couple is considered validly married by Chinese tradition. The wedding banquet is the highlight of the wedding celebration. It is served as either dinner or lunch. The dining place can be a restaurant or hotel.Guests attending the banquet bring gift money and sign a guest register. Before the banquet, the bride, the groom and both of their parents are introduced to the guests. After the blessing which is conducted by the parents and elder relatives of the bride and the groom, the banquet begins. At the wedding banquet, liquor is a compulsory item. The couple is encouraged to drink a toast with the guests and convey thanks to relatives who helped with the wedding. The banquet usually lasts about two hours. The wedding ends with blessings from the guests.。

Chinese Marriage Customs中国婚俗文化中国幅员辽阔，历史悠久，曾经出现很多不同的婚俗。

在现代的中国．许多传统婚礼的习俗已经不再盛行了。

不过近几年传统婚礼习俗在中国很多地方再次兴起，并且越来越吸引人们的视线。

China has a long history with various marriage customs in the vast land.In modem China，various traditional wedding customs and ceremonies were out of date. However,in recent years they have become more and more popular and attractive.Wedding ceremonies have been considered an important life matter both home and abroad throughout human history．“Three Letters and Six Etiquettes”were the basic principles of traditional Chinese marriage customs in ancient times．Three Letters include a Betrothal Letter，a Gift Letter and a Wedding Letter.The Betrothal Letter is the formal document of the engagement,a must for marriage when the bridegroom presents the betrothal gifts(engagement).The Gift Letter is delivered to the bride's family and is a document necessary before the wedding，in which will be enclosed lists of the types and quantifies of gifts for the wedding. The Wedding Letter refers to the document, which will be prepared and presented to the bride's family on the day of the wedding,to confirm and commemorate the formal acceptance of the bride into the bridegroom’s family.The Six Etiquettes are namely: Proposing( A matchmaker discusses marriage with the potential bridegroom and bride), Birthday matching( the matchmaker will ask for the girl's birthday and birth—hour record to assure the compatibility of the potential bride and bridegroom)，presenting betrothal gifts (Once birthdays match，the bridegroom's family will then arrange the matchmaker to present the betrothal letter,to the bride's family)，the defining of an auspicious wedding day(the groom's family delivers appointment letter bride's side family) presenting wedding gifts(after the betrothal letter an betrothal gifts are accepted，the bridegroom's family will later formally send wedding gifts to the bride's family enclosing the Gift Letter)，picking a wedding date(an astrologist or astrology book will be consulted to select an auspicious date to hold the wedding ceremony)，and the wedding ceremony (The bridegroom departures with a troop of escorts and musicians to escort the bride)．The modern wedding ceremony generally refers to the activities which are held on the wedding day,but in ancient times “Three Letters and Six Etiquettes” included the marriage etiquette with a series of activities of matchmaking, engagement and the wedding ceremony．If the men and women did not follow the process，the marriage was then not acknowledged．In of these activities,wedding ceremony is the most over elaborate. It refers to the activity in which the bridegroom departures and escorts the bride to the bridegroom's home,the wedding ceremony begins．The historical books record the earliest traditional Chinese wedding ceremony：On the early morning of the wedding day,the bride puts on the new outfit in a pair of red shoes after a bath in grapefruit water,waiting for a lucky woman to comb her hair．The bride will put on Feng Guan(phoenix coronet) in red silk bridal veil and listen to a married woman who tells her how to be a good wife，while waiting for her future husband．The fun is that when the groom comes to the door of the bride's，the bridesmaids and her sisters try not to let him in!The purpose is to let the bridegroom experience difficulties to enter the door．Usually the groom can overcome the difficulties with his wisdom and courage and the help of hisfriends．Then，the groom sings for the bride and finally he can see the bride，but the groom must offer red packages with money to the bridesmaids and the sisters to be allowed to take his bride home．The bride is accompanied into the sedan by a lucky woman．The bride's sister support a red umbrella,while another sprinkles some rice in the sedan with a metal mirror hanging behind．which people think it can protect the bride from evil spirits．The bride must cry while departing,showing her unwillingness to leave her parents．People began to set off firecrackers to ward off evil spirits while the bride sitting into the sedan．And people will try to avoid unlucky things all the way：the curtain of the sedan was closely plastered in case the bride may see widows, well,cats which are considered as unlucky things．Firecrackers meet the bridegroom's team，the bride will walk a red cushion and pass a burning pan to yard off evil spirits before entering the groom's．The wedding ceremony is the climax of the whole process．The bride and groom are shown into the ancestral temple．They first worship the heaven and earth,the ancestors and parents and then themselves,finally they enter the bridal chamber．An emcee narrates the story,accompanied by the wedding guests with applause and cheers．Friends and guests are entertained at a big wedding banquet．The newlyweds drink the cross-cupped wine，drink to thank the guests and get their blessings．Three days back door practices．Traditionally the newlyweds return to visit the bride's parents in three days．The groom is teased by the bride's relatives and friends out of kindness，of course．As time goes on,the traditional ceremony based on “Three Letters and Six Etiquettes”is gradually simplified．But wedding ceremony is completely passed down．Of course some fashions are melted into the tradition．Sedan chair,for instance,is replaced by heavily flower—decorated car to greet the bride．Nowadays in modem China,traditional wedding ceremonies seem not so popular though still in fashion in the countryside．But people have become more and more interested in it and are paying much attention to traditional wedding ceremonies in recent times．段落译文在人类历史中婚礼仪式被世界公认为是一件重大事情。

传统婚礼的英语作文Traditional weddings are a time for family and friends to come together to celebrate love and commitment. The bride and groom exchange vows and rings, symbolizing their promise to each other. The ceremony is often held in a church or other religious venue, with a minister or priest officiating.After the ceremony, there is usually a reception where guests can enjoy a meal and dancing. The bride and groom often have their first dance as a married couple, and there may be other traditional activities such as cutting the cake and throwing the bouquet.One of the most important aspects of a traditional wedding is the attire. The bride typically wears a white gown, symbolizing purity and innocence, while the groom wears a suit or tuxedo. Bridesmaids and groomsmen also have specific attire, adding to the formality and elegance of the occasion.In many cultures, there are specific customs andrituals that are performed during the wedding ceremony. For example, in some Asian weddings, the bride and groom may perform a tea ceremony to honor their parents and elders. In Indian weddings, there are often elaborate ceremonies such as the exchanging of garlands and the seven steps around the sacred fire.Traditional weddings often involve a lot of planning and preparation. Families may spend months organizing the event, from choosing the venue and sending out invitations to arranging the menu and decorations. It can be astressful but ultimately rewarding experience for everyone involved.Overall, traditional weddings are a time-honored celebration of love and commitment. They bring together family and friends to witness and support the union of two people, and they are a beautiful reminder of the importance of love and marriage in our lives.。