Double “Xi” cut outs on red paper

Double “Xi” words write “囍” in Chinese. It means two happy things happened at the same time, and is now always used in marriage celebrations to represent the happiness of the couple. Sticking doubles “Xi” words in red paper is also an essential in Chinese traditional marriage.

In some places, double “Xi’s” are also put in the lobby of a house as well as on the outside of the door, windows, quilts and pillows.

Sprinkle some nuts in nuptial room

Before the couple enters their nuptial room, their parents will choose one of the elders who have healthy children. This elder takes a platter, which is full of Chinese dates, chestnuts, longans and earthnuts, and then enters the room to sprinkle the nuts around it. The partial tone of Chinese date when said in Chinese, means “getting a child early”, chestnut means “a beautiful daughter”, and earthnut means “a son and a daughter”. The whole platter of nuts symbolizes the wish that the couple can have their own child soon.

According to records, this custom began at the time of Wu, an emperor in the Han dynasty. When Wu emperor married Ms. Li, he ordered his servants to sprinkle some nuts in their room and tie their lapel together to wish them a happy marriage. From then on, sprinkling nuts in the sweet room became a funny tradition, but also important ceremony during the marriage. Some think that sprinkling colorful pieces of paper in a modern marriage is a new custom that came from sprinkling the nuts.

Marriage Shoes

Ritual of entering the door of the husband's family

Shoes are an important item in traditional Chinese marriages, because shoes are always in pairs and have a similar tone to “harmony” in Chinese. Some of them are gifts to the couple, representing best wishes for the marriage. There are many kinds of marriage shoes in China, for example the Lanzi shoe, bombazine shoes, Xie shoes and bridegroom-dancing shoes. There are also interesting activities surrounding the shoes. The most interesting one is the “stealing bride’s shoes”. Guests will try to steal the bride’s shoes in many different ways before the ceremony begins, and make the bridegroom pay for the shoes with some cigarettes or candy. This makes the mood of the weddings more festive and lively. There are many different ways to steal the shoes in separate different provinces. For instance, in Qian towns, shoes-thieves will often stay at the route to the marriage for a whole night just to grab bride’s shoes.

Although Chinese marriages have a lot of traditions and superstitions surrounding them, in the end it all comes down to wishing the new husband and wife a happy, prosperous and long marriage.

Editor: Dong Jirong