Chapter 14 Section 3 Other Wedding Ceremonies

Although the six wedding rites in the Zhou Dynasty became the blueprint for marriage and marriage, later generations added, subtracted and changed according to specific situations. By the time of the Eastern Han Dynasty, most of the wedding ceremonies could not strictly abide by the six rituals.On the one hand, the ruling class is extravagant and luxurious, and increasingly pays attention to the abundance of property. All officials have to use 30 kinds of gifts, such as black rice, sheep, geese, sake, white wine, japonica rice, and millet, just to accept gifts.On the other hand, due to war and poverty, folk marriages often get married hastily, and there is actually no ceremony at all.As recorded in the fifth and ninth volumes of "Tong Dian", "the head of the woman is covered with gauze [hu Hu], and the husband's hair (uncovered) it, because of worshiping uncles and aunts, she becomes a woman." The bride's head and face are covered, the groom uncovers it, and then he meets his in-laws, and he is married. It is really too simple.However, this form of head covering marriage has been adopted by later generations. Usually, the bride covers her head with a red scarf when she gets married, and the groom opens it after entering the bridal chamber.Since marriages in ancient society were arranged by parents, the newlyweds often knew each other's true colors when the hijab was uncovered, so many marriage tragedies were staged.It was under this three-foot-square turban that Zhong Baoyu's wedding trick was performed.

During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the political situation was chaotic and wars broke out, and Confucianism and ethics were greatly impacted.It wasn't until the Sui and Tang Dynasties unified the world that etiquette flourished again, but there were also many changes.During the Tang and Song dynasties, the government proposed to simplify the six rituals in the name of the government.The Song Dynasty stipulated: "For the wedding of scholars and common people, ask for their names in Nacai, and ask for a date in Nacheng" ("Song History Li Zhi"), only Nacai, Naji, Nacheng (that is, Nazheng) and personal greetings are reserved. Four programs.However, there has been some development in the specific rituals, the procedures are more complicated, and many new marriage etiquette customs have been added.

First of all, the marriage custom of blind date appeared, that is, the man's family wants to see his wife.In the Song Dynasty, the man's family usually chooses a day to prepare wine ceremony, and sends a female relative as a representative to the woman's family for a blind date.There are also some parents who bring their children to meet each other in gardens or lake boats.If the bride and groom like it, they will insert gold hairpins into the girl's hair bun, which is called "inserting hairpins"; Secondly, one or a few days before the wedding, the man's family will send some crowns [pei matching], pollen and other items for the woman to dress up, which is called "makeup reminder".In the Tang and Song Dynasties, it was also popular to use poetry and music to urge makeup, so many makeup urging poems were left to describe this custom in detail.For example, Xu Anqi's "Makeup Poetry" in the Tang Dynasty said: "It is rumored that the red powder can be lowered by the candle, and the spring will be in front of the mirror. There is no need to make up all over the face, but keep the eyebrows for painting." Sitting the bride in front of the candle, facing the mirror , the scene of careful makeup is vividly depicted.At the same time, the women's family should also send people to decorate the new house with curtains, bedding and other things, which is called "shop room".

Thirdly, the wedding floats were gradually replaced by bridal sedan chairs in the Song Dynasty and were still used by later generations.When the bridal sedan chair was carried to the gate of the men's courtyard, someone stopped them asking for auspicious money and wedding wine, which was called "blocking the door".At this time, the man's family should spread the floor with cloth bags, felts, mats, etc., and let the bride step into the door. This is called "passing the mat", which means not walking on poor (flat) ground.Some pass the cloth bags, felts and mats that have passed to the front continuously, which means "passing on the family line from generation to generation", so it is also called "passing on from generation to generation".Bai Juyi in the Tang Dynasty once wrote a poem "Marrying a Wife's Family in the Deep of Spring", describing this event: "Where is the depth of spring good, and deep spring to marry a woman's family. The green clothes pass on the felt mattress, and the beautiful embroidery is slanted." When the bride gets off the sedan chair and enters the door, she also Some people hold a flower bucket in their hands, put grains, beans, copper coins, colorful fruits, grass festivals, etc., and scatter at the door while chanting mantras. Children compete to pick them up, which is called "spreading grain beans".It is said that this is to drive away the three evil gods such as Qingyang, Wuji and Qingniu guarding the door, in order to seek good luck and peace.This kind of ceremony already appeared in the Han Dynasty, but it did not become a custom in the Tang and Song Dynasties.Similar to scatter grain beans, the etiquette of scatter grass for singing became popular in some areas later.When the bride gets off the sedan chair, someone sings while sowing grass: "Today, the bride and groom come from far away. The gods of joy and fortune line up on both sides. Open the door and both sides are auspicious. Please come down from the sedan chair." The man sang again: "The vase was originally left by a sage. Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor gave it its roots. Today it falls into the hands of a newcomer. It will be rich and prosperous forever." Grass edge song said: "One is sprinkled like flowers and brocades, the other is sprinkled with gold and jade, the third is sprinkled with Xianheng celebrations, the fourth is sprinkled with Huage Lantang, the fifth is sprinkled with wealth and wealth, the sixth is sprinkled with eternal prosperity, the seventh is sprinkled with peace and happiness, and the eighth is sprinkled with children and grandchildren. Prosperity, nine scatterers to avoid evil gods, ten scatterers and eight auspiciousness." Then, the bride has to "cross the saddle" on the threshold of the inner room, saddle and an have the same pronunciation, and this ceremony contains the implication of peace.In addition, in some areas, the bridegroom will wear a green official uniform and a Fufu (fu clothing) head with flowers and wins (head decorations) on the hairpin that night, and board a chair on the couch in the middle hall, which is called "shang high seat".Then after drinking the wine of the matchmaker, aunt, aunt and others, he got off the high seat and returned to the room.This is a marriage custom derived from the nomadic peoples in the north. It prevailed in the Five Dynasties and was lost after the Song Dynasty.

Again, the etiquette of "worshiping the ancestors" was still popular among the people in the Song Dynasty.Before the bride enters the man's house, the man's house sets up incense, wine, dishes, etc. in the shadow hall (the place where the portraits of the ancestors are placed), and the uncles (parents-in-law) put on their costumes and stand in the hall, facing each other from east to west, praising and citing. Bring the couple to the steps or in front of the hall, and the host enters the hall to burn incense, drink wine on his knees, fall down, and stand up.Then the wisher knelt down and read out: "A certain (groom's name) welcomes his wife (the bride's name) to marry on this auspicious day, and I will see you [ni you]."Sima Guang said: "There was no such ceremony in ancient times, and today it is called worshiping the ancestors, and it cannot be abolished." ("Shu Yi · Welcome")

Finally, the etiquette of "pulling the scarf" was added in the Tang and Song dynasties.When the bride and groom pay their respects to the church, each of the male and female families presents a piece of colored satin and tie it into a concentric knot, which means that the newlyweds will become one body and love each other.The groom hangs one end with a wat [huhu] board, and the bride puts the other end on her hand. The two face each other. The groom walks backwards. First, he goes to the family temple to pay homage, and then the bride walks backwards. Then the two return to the bridal chamber Pay salute.In addition, the original "tassel removal" was also replaced by the ceremony of "joining the bun".A bun is a “knot” in which newlyweds and men cut off a strand of hair and tie it together in the shape of a concentric knot after they enter the new house, as a keepsake.Chao Cai, a woman in the Tang Dynasty, once wrote "Midnight Song" to describe the bun: "Nong cuts the cloud temples, and the man also divides the hair. Where to find it, and make a concentric knot." Gongqing's family, quite follow it" ("New History of the Five Dynasties Biography of Liu Yue").And the ceremony of "Hexing" has also evolved into drinking hand-cup wine, that is, two wine glasses are connected with colorful knots, and the husband and wife drink together.After drinking the cup of wine, throw the two cups under the bed, and if you lean up and close them, "the common saying is good luck, everyone will be happy" ("Tokyo Menghualu").This symbolizes heaven and earth, men and women, yin and yang harmony, and a happy marriage.

Most of the wedding ceremonies in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties followed the ceremonies stipulated in "Zhu Zi's Family Language", mainly including Nacai, Nacheng and Qinying.In the Qing Dynasty, the contents of Manchu marriage customs were incorporated. Weddings mainly include several procedures such as meeting each other, inserting and wearing (engagement), passing gifts (exchanging betrothal gifts and dowry), wedding, and returning home.There are also some new rituals.On the day of wedding reception, a brazier is placed on the ground in front of the bridal chamber, and the wedding sedan chair must carry the bride over the brazier. It is said that this is to avoid evil spirits.When the wedding sedan chair arrives at the bridal chamber, the groom holds a bow and arrow and shoots three arrows at the bottom of the closed sedan chair door, in order to drive away the ghosts that came with the wedding sedan chair.After drinking a cup of wine, you have to eat "children and grandchildren".This is a kind of half-cooked dumpling. When the bride is eating, someone asks "whether it is raw or not", and the bride must answer "raw" to show that she can bear offspring.

In addition, although the basic procedures of the "six ceremonies" have been followed in the royal weddings in all dynasties, there are some special places because the feudal emperors want to show their dignity and luxury beyond ordinary people.The emperor did not use a matchmaker, but appointed high-ranking officials as envoys to go to the queen's house pre-selected by the emperor himself and the elders of the royal family to perform the ceremony.According to the etiquette regulations of the Tang Dynasty, the Taiwei served as the envoy of the empress, and Zong Zhengqing was the deputy envoy.This is one aspect that is different from ordinary people.Second, before welcoming the queen into the palace, a ceremony to register the queen must be held.According to Tang etiquette, the emperor sent envoys to the empress's house with their uniforms, seals, and costumes, including the monk Gong, Shangfu (the female official of the East Palace) and their entourage.First of all, Shang Gong read out the volume made after Lili, and awarded the volume to the queen.Then Shangfu presented the seal and clothing to the queen.After canonization, the status of queen is officially established.Third, the personal welcome ceremony stipulates that the groom must greet the bride in person, but the emperor sent envoys to greet the bride instead, which reflects the emperor's supreme status.According to the etiquette of the Qing Dynasty, on the day of the wedding, the emperor would go out of the palace in formal attire, first go to the Palace of Compassion and Ning to salute the empress dowager, then ascend to the throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and send envoys to welcome the queen into the palace.After the welcoming team went to the queen's house to register and set up a ceremony, they returned, surrounded by the queen's phoenix, and entered the palace through the Great Qing Gate.According to the regulations of the Qing Dynasty, except for the empress dowager and the emperor, no subjects are allowed to enter and leave this gate at any time, and the empress can only enter and pass through this gate once on the day of her wedding.After Feng Yu arrived at the Hall of Supreme Harmony or the Palace of Qianqing (different emperors in different dynasties), the queen got off the sedan chair, and the principal and deputy envoys completed their tasks and left.Then, accompanied by the inner eunuch and the guide, they walked to the Jiaotai Hall with the empress together.Here, the courtesan takes over from the guide to welcome the queen, and the queen enters the central palace—Kunning Palace in a sedan chair carried by eight peacocks, waiting for the marriage ceremony with the emperor.Afterwards, the emperor went to the Kunning Palace, performed the marriage ceremony, drank a cup of wine, and the wedding was completed.