中西方婚禮習俗差異

ChineseMarriageCustomandWesternMarriageCustom2021/5/91ChineseMarriageCustomChinesemarriagebecameacustombetween402and221BC.DespiteChina'slonghistoryandmanydifferentgeographicalareas,thereareessentiallysixrituals,generallyknownasthe

threelettersandsixetiquettes

(三書六禮).2021/5/92Proposal:Whenanunmarriedboy’sparentsfoundapotentialdaughter-in-law,theythenlocatedamatchmakerwhosejobwastoassuage（減輕）theconflictofinterestsandgeneralembarrassmentswhendiscussingthepossibilityofmarriageonthepartoftwofamilieslargelyunknowntoeachother.Birthdates:

Iftheselectedgirlandherparentsdidnotobjecttotheproposal,thematchmakerwouldmatchthebirthdates(Chinese:

生辰八字)inwhich

suanming

(Chinesefortunetelling)isusedtopredictthefutureofthatcouple-to-be.Iftheresultofsuanmingwasgood,theythenwouldgotothenextstep,submittingbrideprice.

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2021/5/93Brideprice(betrothal（婚約）gifts):Atthispointthebridegroom'sfamilyarrangedforthematchmakertopresentabrideprice(betrothalgifts),includingthebetrothalletter,tothebride'sfamily.Weddinggifts:Thegroom'sfamilywouldthensendanelaboratearrayoffood,cakes,andreligiousitemstothebride'sfamily.2021/5/94

Arrangingthewedding:

Beforeweddingceremony,twofamilieswouldarrangeaweddingdayaccordingtoChinese

tungshing（theoldestChinesecalendar）.Selectinganauspiciousdaytoassureagoodfutureforthecoupleisasimportantasavoidingwhatisbelievedtobeanunluckyday.Insomecasestheremaybenoauspiciousdatesandthecouplewillhavetoreviewtheirpotentialdaterange.2021/5/95Weddingceremony:

Thefinalritualwouldbetheactualweddingceremonywherebrideandgroombecomeamarriedcouple,whichconsistsofmanyelaborateparts.2021/5/962021/5/97WesternMarriageCustomThewesterncustomofabridewearingawhite

weddingdresscametosymbolizepurity,notvirginity,intheVictorianera.Withinthe"whitewedding"tradition,awhitedressandveilisnotconsideredappropriateinthesecondorsubsequentweddingofawidowordivorcee.2021/5/98Aweddingisoftenfollowedoraccompaniedbyaweddingreception,whichinsomeareasmaybeknownasthe‘WeddingBreakfast’,atwhichanelaborateweddingcakeisserved.Westerntraditionsincludetoastingthecouple,thenewlywedshavingthefirstdance,andcuttingthecake.Abridemaythrowherbouquet（花束）totheassembledgroupofallunmarriedwomeninattendance,withfolkloresuggestingthepersonwhocatchesitwillbethenexttowed.Afairlyrecentequivalenthasthegroomthrowingthebride'sgartertotheassembledunmarriedmen;themanwhocatchesitissupposedlythenexttowed.2021/5/99TheWeddingBreakfastisoneoccasionwhereeverymemberofthefamilywhohashadatleastsomeroleintheweddingispresent.Itisalsoimportantasthefirsttimethenewlymarriedbrideandgroomsharetheirfirstmealtogetherasalawfullyweddedcouple.ThewordBreakfastcomesfromamoreancienttraditionoffastingbeforetheweddingceremony,theWeddingBreakfastistherefore'breakingthatfast'.ThemodernWeddingBreakfastincludestheserviceoffoodtogueststhatcanrangefromtraditionalroasts,buffets,orregionaltreatssuchasinthecaseofaLondonWedding

inthe'EastEnd'.2021/5/910AnotherVictoriantraditionisforbridestowearorcarry“somethingold,somethingnew,somethingborrowed,somethingblue”duringtheservice.Itisconsideredgoodlucktodoso.Oftenthebrideattemptstohaveoneitemthatmeetsallofthesequalifications,suchasaborrowedbluehandkerchiefwhichis“newtoher”butloanedbyhergrandmother(thusmakingitold).Anotheradditiontothiscustomistowearacoininone‘sshoetobringprosperity.2021/5/911Tosumup:peoplearoundtheworldhavetheirownwaytocelebratewedding.ThedifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternweddingaredistinct.Wedding,insomesense,mea