2013.1.4Loveyoufor-ever~！ChineseMarriageMTI英語筆譯--秦晨marriage

Marriagereferstotheprocessthatmanandwomanbecomecoupleandstartafamily.Chinahasalonghistoryofmarriageculture.Becausemarriageisoneofthemostimportantthingsinourlife,thereisnodoubtthatweshouldtakeitseriously.Firstofall,let'slearnsomethingaboutChinesemarriage.ChineseMarriageinancienttimes

ChinesemarriagewassystemizedintocustomintheWarringStatesperiod(402-221B.C.).Duetothevastexpanseandlonghistory,therearedifferentcustomstofollowindifferentplaces,althoughtheyaregenerallythesame.

Inancienttimes,itwasveryimportanttofollowabasicprincipleofThreeLettersAndSixEtiquettes

三書六禮,sincetheywereessentialtoamarriage.

ThreeLettersAndSixEtiquettes

ThreelettersBetrothalLetterGiftLetterWeddingLetter三書：聘書，禮書，迎書

BetrothalLetteristheformaldocumentoftheengagement,amustinamarriage.

Then,agiftletterisnecessary,whichwillbeenclosedtotheidentifiedgirl'sfamily,listingtypesandquantityofgiftsfortheweddingoncebothpartiesacceptthemarriage.

WhiletheWeddingLetterreferstothedocumentwhichwillbepreparedandpresentedtothebride'sfamilyonthedayoftheweddingtoconfirmandcommemoratetheformalacceptanceofthebrideintothe

groom'sfamily.SixEtiquettesproposing納采birthdatematching問名Presentingbetrothalgifts納吉Pickingaweddingdate請期Presentingweddinggifts納征Weddingceremony親迎

Proposing:Ifanunmarriedboy'sparentsidentifyagirlastheirfuturedaughter-in-law,thentheywillfindamatchmaker.Proposalusedtobepracticedbyamatchmaker.

Birthdaymatching:Ifthepotentialbride'sparentsdonotobjectthemarriage,thematchmakerwillaskforthegirl'sbirthdayandbirthhourrecordtoassurethecompatibilityofthepotentialbrideand

groom.Ifthecouple'sbirthdaysandbirthhoursdonotconflictaccordingtoastrology,themarriagewillstepintothenextstage.Oncethereisanyconflict,meaningthemarriagewillbringdisasterstotheboy'sfamilyorthegirl's,theproposedmarriagestops.Presentingbetrothalgifts:Oncebirthdaysmatch,thegroom'sfamilywillthenarrangethematchmakertopresentbetrothalgifts,enclosingthebetrothalletter,tothebride'sfamily.Presentingweddinggifts:Afterthebetrothalletterandbetrothalgiftsareaccepted,thegroom'sfamilywilllaterformallysendweddinggiftstothebride'sfamily.Usually,giftsmayincludetea,lotusseeds,longan,redbeans,greenbeans,reddates,nutmeg,oranges,pomegranate,lily,bridalcakes,coconuts,wine,redhairbraid,moneyboxandotherstuff,dependingonlocalcustomsandfamilywealth.Pickingaweddingdate:Anastrologistorastrologybookwillbeconsultedtoselectanauspiciousdatetoholdtheweddingceremony.Weddingceremony:Ontheselectedday,thegroomdepartureswithatroopofescortsandmusicians,playinghappymusicallthewaytothebride'shome.Afterthebrideisescortedtothegroom'shome,theweddingceremonybegins.OtherinterestingmarriagecustomsThreekowtow（拜堂）

Duringthetraditionalweddingceremony，thebrideandgroomshouldmakethreekowtow.Firstkowtowtoworshiptheheavenandearth,secondkowtowtoworshiptheancestors,thirdkowtowtoworshiptheirparents.Sendingintothebridalchamber送入洞房Afterthethreekowtow，thebrideandgroomaresentintothebridalchamber.Teasingthebrideandthegroom

onweddingnight

鬧洞房Thereisatraditiontoteasethebrideandthegroom

onweddingnightinordertoestablishaharmoniousrelationshipbetweenthebrideandthegroomandalsorepresentthebestwishesfromalltheguests.

Wedlockwine交杯酒Thebrideandgroomwilldrink“wedlockwine”fromoneanother'sglassesduringtheweddingceremony.Unveilthecovering掀蓋頭Thegroommustunveilthecoveringofthebrideduringtheweddingnight.Chinesemarriageinmorderntimes

Inmorderntimes,chinesemarriagesdonothavetofollowtheprincipleofThreeLettersandSixEtiquettes.Therearevariabletypesofweddingceremony.Butholdingatraditionalweddingisafashioninmoderntimes.

Western-styleweddingisalsoagoodchoiceforChineseyoungpeopleinmoderntimes.Besides,therearespecialandinnotativestylesofwedding.Including:submarineweddingflyingweddingdeser