Chinese pre-wedding customs
Encyclopedia
The first step is the Selection of auspicious dates 看日子 for the Chinese wedding, the betrothal and the installation of the bridal bed. A Chinese monk, a temple official fortune teller
select a suitable date based on the couple's birth dates and times. Some may also refer to the Chinese calendar or almanac for good days. Even numbered months and dates are preferred, and the lunar seventh month is avoided as it is the month of the Hungry Ghost Festival
.
After the selection of the auspicious dates, wedding details such as types and quantities of betrothal gifts, reciprocal gifts, bride's price 娉金, and number of tables at the wedding banquet provided by the groom's parents for the bride's parents' guests are settled.
Betrothal 过大礼/纳彩
Up to a month and at least three days before the wedding day, the groom and a friend or a matchmaker will deliver the betrothal gifts on the auspicious date chosen.
Western and Chinese wedding cake
s and peanut candies, together with two bottles of brandy, at least six tins of canned ham and even number
of oranges are included in the wedding gift baskets. Two pairs of dragon and phoenix candles 龙凤烛are also included. Also included is gold jewellery from the groom's parents to the bride, such as the Cantonese Dragon and phoenix bangle 龙凤琢 or the teochew's four items of gold四点金.
Some include the bride's price with the betrothal gifts, whereas some will only present it when the groom fetches the bride.
In the return gifts, the 2 bottles of brandy will be replaced with 2 bottles of orange syrup. An even numbered portion of all the other gifts are returned to the groom's family together with the 2 phoenix candles. The bride's side will light the 2 dragon candles and the groom's side the phoenix candles on the morning of the wedding day.
Some hokkien families will also ask for a bunch of bananas and red dates to be included in the return gifts. A red packet
for the groom's parents to buy shoes is required. The bride will also present towels to the parents, grandparents, aunt, uncles and groom's siblings.
After the betrothal, the Chinese wedding invitations are distributed
Delivery of the bride's dowry 送嫁妆
The bride's parents may include the bride's dowry with the return gifts on the day of betrothal or deliver the dowry a few days before the wedding. The Chinese
dowry typically include
- beddings such as pillows, bolsters, comforter set, blankets, bed sheets, etc., all tied with red ribbons;
- new clothes in a suitcase for the bride (in the past, wardrobes or wooden wedding chests are used.);
- tea set
for the wedding tea ceremony
;
- baby bathtub, potty, face washbasin, tumblers, toothpaste and toothbrushes, mirror, comb;
- two pairs of red wooden clogs wedding slippers or bedroom slippers;
- sewing basket with even numbered rolls of colourful thread, needles, pincushion, scissors, and sewing wax with auspicious words on it;
- gold jewellery given by bride's parents.
Install the bridal bed 按床
A good fortune woman will install the bridal bed in the bridal room up to 12 days before the wedding day on an auspicious date. New red or pink bedsheets are used and a plate of dried longans, lotus seed
s, red dates, persimmons, sprig of pomegranate leaves together with 2 red packets are placed on the bed. A pair of bedside lamps is lit to symbolize adding sons to the family.
Hair combing ceremony 梳头
Good fortune women will conduct this ceremony for the bride and groom in their respective homes the night before the Chinese wedding. After showering with water infused with pomelo or pomegranate leaves, the bride and groom will change into a new set of clothing and shoes. The good fortune women will bless them aloud as they sit in front of an open window with a visible moon or in front of the mirror.
The four blessings are:
一梳梳到尾，(First combing, together all your lives)
二梳百年好合，(Second combing, harmony in your marriage)
三梳子孙满堂，(Third combing, blessed with many children and grandchildren)
四梳白发齐眉。(Fourth combing, blessed with longevity.)
Sweet pink rice ball
soup汤圆 will be served after the hair combing ceremony to wish the couple a complete and sweet marriage.
Chinese wedding decorations 大喜装饰Double joy 双喜stickers will be placed on all wedding items such as the betrothal gifts, dowry, the couple's toiletries and cosmetics. The bridal room furniture, especially the mirror and cupboards, will also be decorated with double joy or other wedding paper cutouts such as pairs of mandarin ducks, dragon and phoenix, etc. Similar red wedding paper cutouts will also be put up on the main door, bridal room door and generally around the house.
A red banner 红彩帘 will be hung across the front doors of the two household to announce the joyous event.
Fortune-telling
Fortune-telling is the practice of predicting information about a person's life. The scope of fortune-telling is in principle identical with the practice of divination...
select a suitable date based on the couple's birth dates and times. Some may also refer to the Chinese calendar or almanac for good days. Even numbered months and dates are preferred, and the lunar seventh month is avoided as it is the month of the Hungry Ghost Festival
Ghost Festival
The Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, is a traditional Chinese festival and holiday celebrated by Chinese in many countries...
.
After the selection of the auspicious dates, wedding details such as types and quantities of betrothal gifts, reciprocal gifts, bride's price 娉金, and number of tables at the wedding banquet provided by the groom's parents for the bride's parents' guests are settled.
Betrothal 过大礼/纳彩
Up to a month and at least three days before the wedding day, the groom and a friend or a matchmaker will deliver the betrothal gifts on the auspicious date chosen.
Western and Chinese wedding cake
Wedding cake
A wedding cake is the traditional cake served to the guests at a wedding reception after a wedding. In modern Western culture, it is usually a large cake, multi-layered or tiered, and heavily decorated with icing, usually over a layer of marzipan or fondant...
s and peanut candies, together with two bottles of brandy, at least six tins of canned ham and even number
Even and odd numbers
In mathematics, the parity of an object states whether it is even or odd.This concept begins with integers. An even number is an integer that is "evenly divisible" by 2, i.e., divisible by 2 without remainder; an odd number is an integer that is not evenly divisible by 2...
of oranges are included in the wedding gift baskets. Two pairs of dragon and phoenix candles 龙凤烛are also included. Also included is gold jewellery from the groom's parents to the bride, such as the Cantonese Dragon and phoenix bangle 龙凤琢 or the teochew's four items of gold四点金.
Some include the bride's price with the betrothal gifts, whereas some will only present it when the groom fetches the bride.
In the return gifts, the 2 bottles of brandy will be replaced with 2 bottles of orange syrup. An even numbered portion of all the other gifts are returned to the groom's family together with the 2 phoenix candles. The bride's side will light the 2 dragon candles and the groom's side the phoenix candles on the morning of the wedding day.
Some hokkien families will also ask for a bunch of bananas and red dates to be included in the return gifts. A red packet
Red envelope
In Chinese and other Asian societies, a red envelope or red packet is a monetary gift which is given during holidays or special occasions.-Usage:Red envelopes are mainly presented at social and family gatherings such as...
for the groom's parents to buy shoes is required. The bride will also present towels to the parents, grandparents, aunt, uncles and groom's siblings.
After the betrothal, the Chinese wedding invitations are distributed
Delivery of the bride's dowry 送嫁妆
The bride's parents may include the bride's dowry with the return gifts on the day of betrothal or deliver the dowry a few days before the wedding. The Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
dowry typically include
- beddings such as pillows, bolsters, comforter set, blankets, bed sheets, etc., all tied with red ribbons;
- new clothes in a suitcase for the bride (in the past, wardrobes or wooden wedding chests are used.);
- tea set
Tea set
A tea set, in the Western tradition, is a set of dishes sold in a group for use at afternoon tea or a formal tea party.Tea sets vary greatly in quality and price, from inexpensive to high-end.-Items in a tea set:...
for the wedding tea ceremony
Tea ceremony
A tea ceremony is a ritualised form of making tea. The term generally refers to either chayi Chinese tea ceremony, chado Japanese tea ceremony, tarye Korean tea ceremony. The Japanese tea ceremony is more well known, and was influenced by the Chinese tea ceremony during ancient and medieval times....
;
- baby bathtub, potty, face washbasin, tumblers, toothpaste and toothbrushes, mirror, comb;
- two pairs of red wooden clogs wedding slippers or bedroom slippers;
- sewing basket with even numbered rolls of colourful thread, needles, pincushion, scissors, and sewing wax with auspicious words on it;
- gold jewellery given by bride's parents.
Install the bridal bed 按床
A good fortune woman will install the bridal bed in the bridal room up to 12 days before the wedding day on an auspicious date. New red or pink bedsheets are used and a plate of dried longans, lotus seed
Lotus seed
Lotus seeds or lotus nuts are the seeds of plants in the genus Nelumbo, particularly the species Nelumbo nucifera. The seeds are of great importance to East Asian cuisine and are used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine and in Chinese desserts. The seeds are most commonly sold in the...
s, red dates, persimmons, sprig of pomegranate leaves together with 2 red packets are placed on the bed. A pair of bedside lamps is lit to symbolize adding sons to the family.
Hair combing ceremony 梳头
Good fortune women will conduct this ceremony for the bride and groom in their respective homes the night before the Chinese wedding. After showering with water infused with pomelo or pomegranate leaves, the bride and groom will change into a new set of clothing and shoes. The good fortune women will bless them aloud as they sit in front of an open window with a visible moon or in front of the mirror.
The four blessings are:
一梳梳到尾，(First combing, together all your lives)
二梳百年好合，(Second combing, harmony in your marriage)
三梳子孙满堂，(Third combing, blessed with many children and grandchildren)
四梳白发齐眉。(Fourth combing, blessed with longevity.)
Sweet pink rice ball
Onigiri
, also known as or rice ball, is a Japanese food made from white rice formed into triangular or oval shapes and often wrapped in nori . Traditionally, an onigiri is filled with pickled ume , salted salmon, katsuobushi, kombu, tarako, or any other salty or sour ingredient as a natural preservative...
soup汤圆 will be served after the hair combing ceremony to wish the couple a complete and sweet marriage.
Chinese wedding decorations 大喜装饰Double joy 双喜stickers will be placed on all wedding items such as the betrothal gifts, dowry, the couple's toiletries and cosmetics. The bridal room furniture, especially the mirror and cupboards, will also be decorated with double joy or other wedding paper cutouts such as pairs of mandarin ducks, dragon and phoenix, etc. Similar red wedding paper cutouts will also be put up on the main door, bridal room door and generally around the house.
A red banner 红彩帘 will be hung across the front doors of the two household to announce the joyous event.