中国独特婚俗文化英文作文Chinese unique wedding customs are diverse and fascinating. One interesting tradition is the bride's hair combing ceremony, where the bride's hair is combed by her mother to symbolize the transition from girlhood to womanhood. This ritual is filled with blessings and good wishes for the bride's future.Another distinctive custom is the gatecrashing game, where the groom and his groomsmen must pass a series of challenges set by the bridesmaids before they are allowed to enter the bride's home. These challenges can range from singing and dancing to answering trivia questions about the bride, adding an element of fun and excitement to the wedding day.In some regions of China, the bride and groom may participate in a tea ceremony, where they serve tea totheir parents and elders as a way to show respect and gratitude. This tradition symbolizes the union of twofamilies and the couple's promise to honor and care for their parents.The traditional Chinese wedding dress, known as the qipao, is a symbol of elegance and grace. The dress is usually red, a color that symbolizes good luck and happiness in Chinese culture. The intricate embroidery and delicate fabric make the qipao a stunning and timeless choice for the bride.During the wedding banquet, guests are treated to a feast of delicious Chinese cuisine, including dishes like Peking duck, steamed fish, and longevity noodles. The banquet is a time for family and friends to come together and celebrate the union of the couple, with toasts and well wishes for a happy and prosperous marriage.In some parts of China, the bride and groom may release doves or pigeons as a symbol of love and peace. This gesture is a beautiful way to mark the beginning of their new life together and to wish for harmony and unity intheir marriage.Overall, Chinese wedding customs are rich in symbolism and tradition, reflecting the values of respect, family, and happiness. These unique rituals and traditions make Chinese weddings a truly special and memorable occasion.。
American wedding customs（美国婚礼习俗) American wedding customs ： wedding customs are a nation an important part of traditional culture，including the characteristics of a traditional culture of the Americans in the marriage, the first feelings of stress， communication freedom， freedom of mate choice， love freedom. Love between men and women generally do not need matchmakers， parents rarely interfere。
Americans like to tie the knot in June， so in the United States, "June Groom" argument, is the meaning of words throughout the United States each year in June, married couples can meet. The reason why Americans like to get married in June, because in English the ”June (JUNE)” and the Roman god of love and marriage in charge of the "goddess Juno (JUNO)” sounds similar。
Americans will believe that the wedding in June, "the goddess of marriage" will bring joy and happiness to the newlyweds。
zhōnɡɡuó chuán tǒnɡhūn lǐ xí sú中国传统婚礼习俗Chinese traditional wedding customsIn more ancient writings for the word 婚姻, theformer has the 昏beside the radical 女. Thisimplies that the wedding ceremony is performedin the evening, which is deemed as a time offortune. Similarly, 姻has the samepronunciation as 因. According to a dictionaryof ancient Chinese characters, 因means"friendliness", "love" and "harmony", indicatingthe correct way of living for a married couple.hūn yīn婚姻Content 目录◆Preparation for the wedding◆Related Elements for wedding◆Procedures On the wedding day✓The "Hair Dressing" Ritual✓The "Capping" Ritual✓Wedding Procession✓Set off the red veil✓Cross-cupped wine✓The Wedding Banquets✓Disturb Bridal Chamber◆After the WeddingPreparation for the wedding Request for marrying the bride/Formal Proposal 提亲(tí qīn )Request for bride and groom’s birth dates/Birthdates 测生辰八字(cè shēnɡchén bá zì )Engagement/Bride price定亲(dìnɡqīn)Formal gifts for the bride’s family/betrothal gifts 送聘礼(sònɡpìn lǐ)Select the wedding date选日子(xuǎn rì zi)/请期(qǐnɡqī )Red colorRed is central to the wedding theme of China.It signifies love, joy and prosperity .e.g. wedding gown（新娘礼服）、shoes、package（包裹）、quilt（被子）、pillow（枕头）、door curtain （门帘）extra. Double Happiness (囍)It is usually printed on the invitation with the use of golden hot stamps. The symbol of Double Happiness is a declaration that the bride-to-be and the groom-to-be will be united. The symbol, which is composed of two standard Chinese characters used to signify "happiness", means that the couple and their families will now be "together".So 喜+喜=Types of musical instruments唢呐Suona，笛子Flute，板鼓Pan-ku，锣Gong，铙钹Cymbals，堂鼓Chinese opera drum 等等。
Chapter Two Western Marriage Custom and FolkloreI Western Marriage custom and folklore1.1Courting and Proposal1.1.1 Asking permission from the girl’s father1.1.2 Proposal to the girl1.2 Engagement1.2.1 Rites of engagement1.2.2 Ring on which finger?1.3 Pre-Wedding1.3.1 Make known of the wedding ceremony to the parish1.3.2 Pre-wedding seclusion (Why the Groom Can’t See the Bride?)1.3.3 Wedding Attendants1.3.4 Wedding Dress1.4 Wedding1.4.1 Place for wedding1.4.2 Wedding March1.4.3 Giving the Bride Away（交付新娘）(p73)1.4.4 Wedding vows1.5 Wedding Dinner1.5.1 Wedding cake1.5.2 Flowers and Bouquet 婚礼鲜花/花束1.5.3 Newlyweds leave for honeymoon1.6 HoneymoonII Expression for wedding anniversariesIII Questions for thinking1.In western countries, which month is a popular month for wedding? Why?2.Can you tell the origin of the “wedding attendants”?3.Why did the word “honeymoon” become to refer to “the journey that the couple takesafter their we dding”?4.Do you know anything about “carrying the bride over the threshold”? Try to find itout.I Western Marriage custom and folklore1.1Courting and Proposal1.1.1 Asking permission from the girl’s fatherMarriage all begins with engagement. Traditionally, a young man asks the father of his sweetheart for permission to marry her.1.1.2 Proposal to the girlIf the father agrees, the man later proposes to her. Often he tries to surprise her by "popping the question" in a romantic way.In modern America, many things have lost their formalities such as the marriage proposal. The man getting down on one knee and asking the woman, “Susan, will you marry me?”is not a common sight now. But this practice, being a tradition, is still living as a romantic episode in people’s mind.Background stories: The Marriage Proposal (p66)1.2Engagement1.2.1 Rites of engagementWhen the couple just decides together that the time is right to get married，the man usually gives his fiancée a diamond ring as a symbol of their engagement. They may be engaged for weeks, months or even years. As the big day approaches, bridal showers(贺礼赠送会)and bachelor's parties（单身俱乐部）provide many useful gifts. Today many couples also receive counseling during engagement. This prepares them for the challenges of married life.1.2.2 On which finger should the young man/girl wear the ringAccording to western tradition, ring with special symbolic meaning(s) (e.g., engagement ring, wedding ring/band) is worn on the third/ring finger. Different kind of ring has its own meaning, e.g., diamond ring for engagement and ring without welding for marriage, which emblems that one remains devoted to his/her spouse for the whole life.1.3Pre-Wedding1.3.1Make known of the wedding ceremony to the parishAccording to the rituals of Catholicism, those whose are going to hold wedding ceremony need to make the coming marriage and wedding ceremony known to the parish (教区，教区居民) for three times. It is said that doing that can prevent improper marriage. Once the would be bride or bridegroom is found having married or once the couple is found having sibship (relationship by blood血缘关系), they willbe reported as illegal by the insiders（知情者）. The customs has been handed down for 1000 years.In past, it was the bride’s side that managed the sending out of wedding invitations, but nowadays, both the bride’s and groom’s families undertake the responsibility.1.3.2Pre-wedding seclusion(Why the Groom Can’t See the Bride?)It has long been considered bad luck for a groom to see his bride before the wedding day. One explanation for this superstition is that waiting at the altar（神坛）, wondering how she will look, heightens the drama and lessens the groom’s chances of getting cold feet（临阵畏缩）. The sudden appearance of his beloved, decked out（打扮）like a vision in white, so astonished the man that he is a husband before he knows what has hit him. The surprise factor thus ensures groomly compliance（顺从）.A more substantial historical explanation is that the prohibition is the remains from primitive seclusion（隔离）rites, which stipulate that nobody should see an engaged girl before she has passed fully into womanhood. As one of the most significant rites of passage[为人生进入一个重要阶段（如成年，结婚，死亡等）而举行的仪式], marriage involves a period of separation from old ways, a period of transition（过渡）, and a period of incorporation（结合）into the new. The middle period is filled with confusion（困惑）and imagined dangers. In many cultures brides-to-be（准新娘）are considered unclean and are secluded for a period of time before the ceremony so that they will not contaminate（弄脏）others. Whether or not this attitude plays a role in the modern superstition, it’s clear that keeping the bride at a distance until the critical moment reflects the primitive anxiety about transition----the concern that, until the incorporation ceremonies are completed, something can always go wrong.1.3.3 Wedding AttendantsThe typical wedding includes a bridal party, which is composed of, in addition to the happy couple, a best man（伴郎）, a maid or matron of honor[伴娘（为结婚的为maid of honor, 已结婚的为matron of honor], ushers（男傧相）and bridesmaids（女傧相）of equal numbers, and usually flower girls（花童）. There are several possible explanations for this group of attendants.The most obvious and practical explanation is that the wedding party is enlisted to see to it that（保证）many small details of the ceremony are not ignored, and everything goes well, and to emotionally and physically support the bride and groom on this one of the most important days in their lives. The best man seems to serve as the “express man”（快捷送递员）of the ceremony, changed with “moving things along smoothly”; The bridesmaids would assist the bride with dressing, and help to move the bride’s belongings to her new home.A second explanation is based on the idea that the attendants are the modern version of rival war parties, from the days of marriage by capture. Ushers have thus evolved from the groom’s men [indeed, ushers used to be called groomsmen（男傧相）] and bridesmaid from the bride’s defenders; the best man plays the roles of the groom’s strongest and most reliable supporter. This idea, however, fails to explain why thebride’s defenders, surely originally male, should have changed gender（性别）over ceremonies. Probably the attendants, rather than warriors, would be seen as a group of witness, who stand by the couple to attest to their character and to the validity（有效，合法性）of the union.A third and superstitious theory takes the attendants as substitutes for the new couple. In the days when evil spirits were thought to be a potential threat to any ceremony, the bride and groom dressed their friends identically or similarly to their own, to confuse the demons. If the bride stands out dramatically from her bridesmaids today, it may be because we have ceased to be worried about demons.As for flower girls, their appearance in wedding today can undoubtedly add joy to the scene, and may be helpful to the adults to manage the tension of the ceremony. This custom may come from the weddings of medieval times. It was the custom then for two young girls, preferably sisters, to walk before the bride and groom, carrying wheat sheaves（麦束）, a symbol of fruition（结果）since the Roman era. Since bearing （结果实，生育）was, then as now, hazardous as well as joyous, having young virgins care for the fertility symbols may have been a way to weaken their destructive potency（潜能）. The presence of the youngster sent a symbolic appeal to（恳求）the gods for blessing（赐福，祝福）and protection.1.3.4 Wedding DressThe newlyweds choose their own style of colors, decorations and music during the ceremony. But some things rarely change. The bride usually wears a beautiful, long white wedding dress. She traditionally wears “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.”The groom wears a formal suit or tuxedo. Several close friends participate in the ceremony as attendants, including the best man and the maid of honor.“Something new”refers to bride’s white gown which must be new and which symbolizes virginity, and it also symbolizes the start of new life. “Something old”refers to the white veil and gauze headscarf （头纱）, which is once used by bride’s mother. It implies that bride will never forget her parents. “Something borrowed”refers to the bride’s handkerchief that is borrowed from her friends, which shows that she will never forget her formal friends. “Something blue”refers to the blue ribbons on the wedding dress, which represents bride’s loyalty to love and marriage.1.4 Wedding1.4.1 Place for weddingAlthough most weddings follow long-held traditions, there's still room for American individualism. For example, the usual place for a wedding is in a church. But some people get married outdoors in a scenic spot. A few even have the ceremony while skydiving or riding on horseback! The couple may invite hundreds of people or just a few close friends.1.4.2Wedding MarchThere are two famous versions of wedding march. One is by Richard Wagner (composed in 1848 for Opera Lohengrin) and another one is by Felix Mendelssohn (composed in 1826 for Opera A Mid-Summer Night Dream). In China, Wagner’s wedding march is more popular, but in western countries, peoples use both versionsof wedding march in wedding ceremony. One (Wagner’s) is played when the newlyweds walk into church, another one (Mendelssohn’s) is played after the rites held in church and when the newlyweds make their exit from the church.1.4.3 Giving the Bride Away（交付新娘）(p73)As the ceremony begins, groom and his attendants stand with the minister, facing the audience. Music signals the entrance of the bride's attendants: the maid or matron （伴娘）, and the flower girls. The bride enters last, usually escorted（陪同，护送）by her father. Giving the bride away is an important religious ritual. The bride’s father escorts her to the altar and gives her away to the minister, and then the minister gives her away to the groom who has been waiting at the altar（神坛）.1.4.4 Wedding vowsThe minister asks the young couple “Do you take this woman (man) to be your lawful wedded wife (husband) to live together in the holy estate matrimony?”你愿否以此女人（男人）为你合法之妻子（丈夫），与你共同生活在圣洁之婚姻中？“Will you love her/him cherish her/him keep her/him honor her/him in sic kness in health and forsaking (遗弃,抛弃) all other cleave(粘住,依恋)you only under her/him so long as both shall live?” 你是否愿意在病中、在平时心爱她（他）、护佑她（他）、照料她（他）、尊敬她（他），并摒弃一切，唯她（他）是赖，共度生活？The young couple repeats their vows. Traditionally, they promise to love each other by saying “I’ll love him/her for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health.”But sometimes the couple has composed their own vows. They give each other a gold ring to symbolize their marriage commitment. Finally the minister announces the big moment: “I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride!” And the groom lifts the veil and kisses his bride, and the ceremony is ended.“不论好、坏、贫、富、生病时或健康时, 都要彼此相爱”最后牧师宣布这重大的时刻：“我现在宣布你们成为夫妻，你可以亲吻你的新娘！”新郎揭开新娘的面纱亲吻新娘,教堂举行的婚礼仪式结束。
