Chinese Marriage Customs
中国婚俗文化
中国幅员辽阔，历史悠久，曾经出现很多不同的婚俗。在现代的中国．许多传统婚礼的习俗已经不再盛行了。不过近几年传统婚礼习俗在中国很多地方再次兴起，并且越来越吸引人们的视线。
China has a long history with various marriage customs in the vast land.In modem China，various traditional wedding customs and ceremonies were out of date. However,in recent years they have become more and more popular and attractive.
Wedding ceremonies have been considered an important life matter both home and abroad throughout human history．“Three Letters and Six Etiquettes”were the basic principles of traditional Chinese marriage customs in ancient times．
Three Letters include a Betrothal Letter，a Gift Letter and a Wedding Letter.The Betrothal Letter is the formal document of the engagement,a must for marriage when the bridegroom presents the betrothal gifts(engagement).The Gift Letter is delivered to the bride's family and is a document necessary before the wedding，in which will be enclosed lists of the types and quantifies of gifts for the wedding. The Wedding Letter refers to the document, which will be prepared and presented to the bride's family on the day of the wedding,to confirm and commemorate the formal acceptance of the bride into the bridegroom’s family.
The Six Etiquettes are namely: Proposing( A matchmaker discusses marriage with the potential bridegroom and bride), Birthday matching( the matchmaker will ask for the girl's birthday and birth—hour record to assure the compatibility of the potential bride and bridegroom)，presenting betrothal gifts (Once birthdays match，the bridegroom's family will then arrange the matchmaker to present the betrothal letter,to the bride's family)，the defining of an auspicious wedding day(the groom's family delivers appointment letter bride's side family) presenting wedding gifts(after the betrothal letter an betrothal gifts are accepted，the bridegroom's family will later formally send wedding gifts to the bride's family enclosing the Gift Letter)，picking a wedding date(an astrologist or astrology book will be consulted to select an auspicious date to hold the wedding ceremony)，and the wedding ceremony (The bridegroom departures with a troop of escorts and musicians to escort the bride)．
The modern wedding ceremony generally refers to the activities which are held on the wedding day,but in ancient times “Three Letters and Six Etiquettes” included the marriage etiquette with a series of activities of matchmaking, engagement and the wedding ceremony．If the men and women did not follow the process，the marriage was then not acknowledged．In of these activities,wedding ceremony is the most over elaborate. It refers to the activity in which the bridegroom departures and escorts the bride to the bridegroom's home,the wedding ceremony begins．
The historical books record the earliest traditional Chinese wedding ceremony： On the early morning of the wedding day,the bride puts on the new outfit in a pair of red shoes after a bath in grapefruit water,waiting for a lucky woman to comb her hair．The bride will put on Feng Guan(phoenix coronet) in red silk bridal veil and listen to a married woman who tells her how to
be a good wife，while waiting for her future husband．
The fun is that when the groom comes to the door of the bride's，the bridesmaids and her sisters try not to let him in!The purpose is to let the bridegroom experience difficulties to enter the door．Usually the groom can overcome the difficulties with his wisdom and courage and the help of his
friends．Then，the groom sings for the bride and finally he can see the bride，but the groom must offer red packages with money to the bridesmaids and the sisters to be allowed to take his bride home．The bride is accompanied into the sedan by a lucky woman．The bride's sister support a red umbrella,while another sprinkles some rice in the sedan with a metal mirror hanging behind． which people think it can protect the bride from evil spirits．The bride must cry while departing,showing her unwillingness to leave her parents．
People began to set off firecrackers to ward off evil spirits while the bride sitting into the sedan．And people will try to avoid unlucky things all the way：the curtain of the sedan was closely plastered in case the bride may see widows, well,cats which are considered as unlucky things．Firecrackers meet the bridegroom's team，the bride will walk a red cushion and pass a burning pan to yard off evil spirits before entering the groom's． The wedding ceremony is the climax of the whole process．The bride and groom are shown into the ancestral temple．They first worship the heaven and earth,the ancestors and parents and then themselves,finally they enter the bridal chamber．An emcee narrates the story,accompanied by the wedding guests with applause and cheers．Friends and guests are entertained at a big wedding banquet．The newlyweds drink the cross-cupped wine，drink to thank the guests and get their blessings．
Three days back door practices．Traditionally the newlyweds return to visit the bride's parents in three days．The groom is teased by the bride's relatives and friends out of kindness，of course． As time goes on,the traditional ceremony based on “Three Letters and Six Etiquettes” is gradually simplified．But wedding ceremony is completely passed down．Of course some fashions are melted into the tradition．Sedan chair,for instance,is replaced by heavily flower—decorated car to greet the bride．
Nowadays in modem China,traditional wedding ceremonies seem not so popular though still in fashion in the countryside．But people have become more and more interested in it and are paying much attention to traditional wedding ceremonies in recent times．
段落译文
在人类历史中婚礼仪式被世界公认为是一件重大事情。在中国古代传统婚俗必须遵循“三书六礼”的基本原则。 三书是指聘书、礼书和迎亲书。聘书是正式的婚约书，是婚事必备的。礼书也是必备的。一旦双方同意了这桩婚事，它将被送往女方家，列出所有婚礼礼品的品种和数量。迎亲书是为了在婚礼上呈给女方家人的，以确认并正式接纳新娘为新郎家庭的一员。
六礼是指纳彩(媒人提亲)、问名(看男女生辰八字是否相配)、纳吉(男方将证婚书送到女方家)、纳征(男方送女方婚礼礼品)、请期(择良辰吉日完婚)、亲迎(蔬郎带队迎新娘)。 现代婚礼通常指在结婚当天所举行的活动，但在古代“三书六礼”包括一系列结婚礼仪活动：如媒人做媒、订婚及婚礼。如果男女双方在这一过程中有不遵守礼仪，婚姻得不到承认。在这期间，婚礼最复杂，需要精心准备：新郎迎请新 娘到家、婚礼开始。
历史上记录最早的传统的中国婚礼是这样的：
在婚礼当天的清晨，新娘将在加了柚子的水中沐浴，再穿上新的嫁衣和红鞋，等候一位幸运的女人来为她梳头。新娘将戴上垂有流苏的凤冠，在蒙上红色丝制的盖头。然后一边听着已婚妇女告诉她如何做一个好妻子，一边等待她未来的丈夫迎娶她过门。 有意思的是新郎进新娘的家门了，女傧相和新娘的姐妹们严守家门。这一习俗是让新郎在门前经历重重困难。通常新郎的智慧和勇气以及他的朋友们会帮他成功地通过考验。新郎过了这一关后为新娘高歌，最后才能见到新娘。然而，还有一关，新郎还必须塞给女傧相和姐妹们红包，红包里装着吉利钱，这样她们才允许他将新娘带回去。 新娘由一个幸运的女人背进花轿。新娘的妹妹为她撑着红伞，另一个妹妹撒一些米在花轿里。花轿的背后挂上筛子和一面金属做的镜子，人们认为这样可以保护新娘免受邪灵的伤害。新娘必须哭着离去，表示她不愿意离开父母。
在新娘坐进花轿时，人们开始燃放鞭炮，以驱除邪灵。一路上人们都会尽力避免不吉利的事情发生。比如花轿门被门帘挡得严严实实，不让新娘看见诸如寡妇、井、猫等不吉利的东西。迎亲的队伍来到新郎家时，新郎家会燃放鞭炮迎接新娘的到来。在花轿前铺上红色的垫子，为的是不让新娘直接接触到地面。进门前，新娘要要跨过一个烧旺的火盆，以驱除邪灵。
结婚仪式是整个过程的高潮。新娘和新郎被迎进祠堂。先拜天地，再拜祖先和父母，最后夫妻对拜。进入洞房。整个过程都有司仪的旁白，并伴有参加婚礼的客人们的掌声和喝彩。 接着是丰盛的婚宴，招待亲友以及帮助筹备婚礼的人。在席间新婚夫妇要喝交杯酒，然后新人向来宾敬酒——表示感谢。同时也得到他们的祝福。
三天回门的习俗。传统的新婚夫妇在婚后三天回到娘家，拜访新娘的父母。这次是新郎被新娘家的亲戚朋友们戏弄了。
随着时问的推移，这种基于“三书六礼”的传统仪式逐渐简化，但婚礼得到了彻底传承，当然人们将时尚融入了传统的婚礼，如用鲜花装饰的轿车来代替花轿。
在现代的中国，许多传统婚礼的习俗已经不再盛行了。但在农村还能看到传统的婚礼。不过近几年传统婚礼习俗在中国很多地方再次兴起，并且越来越吸引人们的视线。
实用词汇
聘礼betrothal gifts
三书(聘书、礼书和迎亲书)Three Letters(Betrothal Letter,Gift Letter and Wedding 良辰吉日an auspicious date 结婚请帖wedding invitation card 结婚典礼wedding ceremony 迎亲to escort the bride 轿子sedan
花车festooned vehicle；bridal car；flower．decorated car 盖头，蒙首bridal veil 喝喜酒to drink happy wine
闹新房teasing the newlyweds on the wedding night；teasing games in bridal chamber； 交杯酒wedlock wine 双喜字double happiness 喜糖wedding sweets
喜酒wine offered to guests at a wedding 结婚证marriage certificate 新郎bridegroom 新娘bride
嫁妆dowry；trousseau 回门returning home
白头偕老live to ripe old age in conjugal bliss；remain a devoted couple to the end of their lives 半路夫妻couple married halfway through life
比翼连枝like birds that pair off wing to wing or trees that have their branches intertwined--deep affection of a devoted couple 彩轿bridal sedan chair 彩礼betrothal gifts
出阁(of a woman)leave her boudoir---(of a woman)get married 盖头bridal veil
纳彩(0f present bridegroom's family)present gifts to the girl's family at time of betrothal 青梅竹马green plums and a bamboo horse—a girl and a boy playing innocently together 休书letter by a husband unilaterally announcing his decision to divorce his wife 嫁汉嫁汉，穿农吃饭A women marries for food and shelter. 有福同享，有难同当Share happiness and hardship． 妻管严henpecked 甩手掌柜hands—off
大男子主义male chauvinism 娃娃亲infant matrimony
指腹婚belly—pointing marriage
从一而终not remarry after one's husband dies 集体婚礼group wedding
蜜月旅行honeymoon；marriage trip 红媒matchmaker
花红gift for a wedding,etc．；bonus
花烛candles with dragon and phoenix patterns used in the bridal chamber on the wedding night
花烛夫妻husband and wife bv the first marriage 欢喜冤家quarrelsome and loving couple 婚检physical check—up before marriage
婚丧喜庆marriage and funeral--important occasions of a familv 婚外恋extramarital affair 婚约marriage contract
佳偶天成ideal marriage divinely arranged 佳期wedding day
嫁出去的女儿，泼出去的水a married daughter is like spilt watter--a married daughter is no longer a member of the family
嫁鸡随鸡，嫁狗随狗follow the man you marry,be he fowl or cur
交杯酒drink the nuptial cup(part of an old—fashioned marriage ceremony, in which the bride and the bridegroom drink out of goblets fled together by
red thread，exchanging cups and drinking again) 结发夫妻husband and wife by the first marriage 结婚登汇marriage registration
名言俗语
家有贤妻万事兴。
The wife is the key of the house． 妻惠夫贤。
A good wife makes a good husband． 走遍天下，家最好。
East or west,home is best． 金窝银窝不如家里草窝。
Every bird likes his own nest best． 爱屋及乌。
Love me，love my dog． 情人H艮里出西施。
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder． 男人盖屋，女人持家。
Men make houses；women make homes． 佳偶天成。
Matches are made in heaven．
美满的婚姻是人生的新开端，是幸福和有益的新起点。
A happy marriage is a new beginning of life，a new starting point for happiness and usefulness． 幸福的婚姻是生活能够奉献的最佳礼物。
A happy marriage is the best thing life has to offer．
“善待对方”这是婚姻的金科玉律，也是让爱相随终生的秘诀。 “Be kind to one another．“This is the Golden Rule of marriage and the secret of making love last through the years．
我了解一些美满的婚姻——都是双方互助互爱，同甘共苦地生活。
I know some good marriages--marriages where both people are just trying to get through their days by helping each other,being good to each other． 爱情是一种永恒的信仰。 Love is an eternal belief．
词语注解
指腹婚：指着怀着胎儿的腹部，双方父母达成了子女的婚约。此习俗自汉代开始，流行时间很长时间，现已杜绝。
Belly-pointing marriage：a marriage agreement made by parents for the children still in the womb by pointing at the pregnant abdomens．The custom started in the Han Dynasty,but has been abandoned by now．
抛彩球：用抛彩球的方式来选择配偶，在中国的文学作品中常指女子抛绣球选择夫婿。 Tossing colorful balls：It is a way of picking one's mate．In Chinese literary there are many stories about women throwing the ball to select their future husbands．
回门：新娘嫁剑丈夫家称为“进门”，从丈夫家回到娘家称为“回门”。含有女儿不忘父母养育之恩，女婿感谢岳父母，以及表示夫妻恩爱的意思。 Returning home：When a bride is married，it is customarily called‘entering home’：therefore。when the newlyweds pay a formal visit to the bride's parents after the wedding,it is called “ returning home” , which signifies the daughter's not forgetting her parental upbringing,the son-in-law's gratitude to his parents—in—law,and conjugal love between the newlyweds． 父母之命，媒妁之言：父母对婚姻的建议看法和媒人的看法决定婚姻的成败。
the command of parents and the advice of a go—between(in former times)the proper way of contracting a marriage
丑媳妇也得见公婆：表示中国古代的媳妇难做，要过的第一‘关是婆婆关。
an ugly bride will sooner or later have to come face to face with her parents--in--law． 白马王子：女孩梦想中理想的结婚人选。
Mr．Right：a white horse is not a horse_一a man to whom a girl dreams to get married． 中西合璧?????????????????????????????????．0 中西方的婚俗有相似的地方。例如，中国古代有抛绣球迎亲的习俗；而西方的新郎新娘在教堂举行婚礼后，会把手中的鲜花抛向空中，如果有人接到的话就预示着他将很快结婚。中国人比较保守、爱热闹的性格在中国传统婚礼中得到了充分的体现。在婚宴结束以后，新人的亲朋好友会去新房中闹洞房。认为在新房中越热闹，新人在婚后的生活越幸福。西方人婚礼的高潮则是在教堂中：随着神圣的《婚礼进行曲》，新娘手挽着父亲捧玫瑰步入鲜红的地毯，慢慢向新郎走去，新娘的父亲将女儿的手放在新郎的手上，将女儿的一。生托付给他，神父说：“你可以亲吻你的新娘了??结婚是一生的盟约，你是要为之坚守一辈子的誓言。”然后新郎新娘或是去晚宴地点或是去度蜜月，并没有中国传统婚俗的种种礼节。中国是以佛教为主，而西方则是以基督教为主。所以西方的婚礼是在教堂中举行，主婚人是神甫。中方的传统婚俗中最重要环节就是拜天地，拜了天地以后就算是礼成了。
There are many similarities in marriage Customs between China and the west．For example，Chinese bride throws the Hydrangea(a ball made of strips of silk)to the girls and the western bride hands the flowers into the air,if someone gets the ball or the flowers，she or he will soon get married．
Chinese people are conservative，but fun loving，which is fully displayed in the Chinese traditional wedding ceremony．At the end of the wedding ceremony,the friends and family would go to newly-weds’chamber to celebrate it by all means．We believe that the more lively the new home is，the happier the newly—weds will be．In the west，the climax of the wedding is in the church：As the couple march to the Wedding music along the bright red carpet with the bride accompanied by her father,and then the bride is handed to the groom by the father putting his daughter's hand into the groom's hands.The priest says：You can kiss your bride?Then the bride and groom go to their honeymoon．Westerners believe in God，so the wedding is held in the church by the priest．One of the Chinese traditional marriage customs is Baitian Di to show respect and thanks to the heavens and earth as they become husband and wife．