THE WEDDING CEREMONY

Tears, the Bridal Sedan and Motherly Advice

The Wedding Ceremony Begins with the Bridal Sedan. Before the bride would leave to go to the bridegrooms home, the good luck woman would lead her to the sedan chair. On her way to the chair, one of her sisters would shield her with a red parasol, while another sister would throw rice at the sedan chair. On the back of the sedan hung a sieve and a metallic mirror that were believed to protect the bride from evil.Before the bride got into the bridal sedan chair bound for her new home, it was common practice for the bride to cry to show that she did not want to leave her parents. She would cry over the love and care her parents had given her for so many years. At this moment, the brides mother would pass on to her daughter the secrets of how to be an adequate wife and daughter-in-law, how to handle the household with thrift and decency as well as make herself pleasant to every one of the new family.

Going to the Groom's Home with the Bride

The day before the wedding, it was customary for the bridegroom visit the brides family and greet all the family members of the bride, but he could not see his bride. On the day of the wedding, after various rites were performed, the bride was carried to the sedan chair by her father or elder brother with the bridegroom standing by. When everything was all right, the bridegroom could leave. The bridegroom had still not seen his bride at this point in time. Her face and hair covered by a red silk veil.Now it was time to take the bride to the bridegrooms home. Usually a crowd of friends would escort the bridegroom and musicians would play joyful tunes during the entire trip. Dancing lions proceeded the troup followed by the honor guard that the bridegroom had sent to the brides home earlier in the day, followed by the bride in the bridal sedan. In ancient times, a decorated donkey was used to transport the bride if the family could not afford a bridal sedan.

Chinese Wedding Ceremony - Formal BowsAfter the wedding party arrived at the bridegrooms home, the bridal sedan would stop in front of the bridegrooms bridal chamber. An elder woman who had many offspring would take the hand of the bride and help her out of the sedan chair. The old woman would feed boiled rice dumplings to both the bride and bridegroom as the round shape of the dumplings signified harmony and union. Then candles and incense were lighted and the bridegroom and the bride held the two ends of a red ribbon and met on the red carpet. The would bow to each other and then drink from the nuptial cups. Next, came the climax of the whole ceremony. The bride and bridegroom were led to thefamily altar where the couple kowtowed in succession to Heaven and Earth , the family ancestors and parents. The bride and groom once again bowed to each other andwere then led to the bridal chamber. The ceremony continued under the prompts and applauses of the audience.

Teasing Games in the Bridal Chamber

The games began when the newly wed couple entered the bridal chamber after the wedding ceremony. Usually all the young men would participate except for the brides brother-in-laws. The funny and silly games were to help ease the tension, as in ancient times, the newlyweds had never met each other b efore the wedding.

Greeting Family and The Bridal Chamber

By the evening of the wedding day, or failing that, the next day, the bride would customarily greet the uncles and aunts of the grooms family. Then she would be led by the younger aunt to greet all the family elders. The next evening, the new couple would have their supper (known as Bridal Chamber Supper) together in their bridal chamber for the first time. On the third day, the bride and groom would salute the memorial tablets of ancestors, which meant to show that the marriage was not only for the bridegroom, but more importantly, for continuing ancestral life.

Bride Returns to Parent's Home

Traditionally, three days after the wedding, the newlyweds return to visit the brides parents. A month after the wedding, the bride would visit her pa rents home again accompanied by her husband and bringing many kind gifts. The bridegroom would return home the same day, but the bride would stay at her parents home for several days.