An article on marriage customs in Quanzhou tells you all the precautions.

Although China people's wedding ceremonies are becoming more and more westernized, many people still adopt Chinese weddings, because they think that only Chinese weddings are authentic and lively and festive, so Chinese weddings are very particular. Let's share the wedding customs in Quanzhou with you in this column.

Engagement formalities

1. The so-called "engagement" means that the man chooses an auspicious day by his elders or relatives, and brings gifts such as gold and silver jewelry, wedding (engagement) gold, wedding candy and cigarettes to the woman's house to "engage", or say engagement, and announce that the marriage is fixed.

2. Minnan people attach great importance to engagement, because it is a necessary procedure before marriage, and it is regarded as a de facto marriage without legal procedures, which is largely equivalent to marriage.

3. Young women don't need to be shy when they see each other as their future life partners after their engagement. What's more, it is natural for a man to live in his own home or in his own home, and there is no need to worry about other people's gossip and gossip.

4. Gold and silver jewelry for engagement should have been prepared long ago, generally from head to toe, including gold earrings, gold necklaces, gold rings, gold bracelets, gold anklets, jewelry and so on. The number varies according to the economic situation of different families, and most people do what they can.

In addition, the bride price (engagement) money is indispensable. According to the previous statement, this dowry is the "money" given by the man's family to the woman's family (the money for raising a girl). The woman makes an offer first, and the man makes a counter-offer according to his own economic situation, and then the matchmaker talks about it.

6. In the early years, when life was difficult, the woman's parents would leave part of the engagement money to supplement the family. It seems too shabby to do so now. Usually, the bride price is used as a dowry, so we must add more to avoid being stingy, and the girl will look better when she gets married.

According to the current general situation, this gift is generally between 5000 yuan and 10000 yuan. At the very least, it is enough to buy a motorcycle or a color TV, refrigerator, washing machine and the like as a dowry, and at most it is not capped.

8. In the 1970s and 1980s, there were few betrothal gifts (betrothal gifts). In some places, betrothal gifts were embedded in glass frames with the largest denomination, which made people visible and more ostentatious. It's different now. No one wants to go to so much trouble or "risk their wealth". Simply bring a bank card. In addition, wedding candy is also essential for engagement. It's for the woman to distribute to relatives and friends, telling them that her daughter is married and will be married soon. The amount of wedding candy depends on the needs of the woman's family. Generally, three or two hundred Jin is enough.

9. After these things are ready, the man can choose an auspicious day to invite the matchmaker to the woman's house for engagement. When the man arrives at the woman's house, after the host and guest sit down, the girl brings tea to entertain the man's family, and then the matchmaker introduces the guests of the man's house and the woman's parents.

Pay attention to etiquette

It should be said that the matchmaker plays the role of presiding over the whole engagement process, and his status is unknown. Some men and women who are free to fall in love and get married will also quickly pull one as a matchmaker, which feels natural. Of course, the matchmaker is not essential. Without the matchmaker, both men and women will not care informally, but feel more cordial.

1. Introduced by the matchmaker, the girl came to retrieve the teacup. The climax of the ceremony was to wear an engagement ring, and the girl was accompanied by the older women in the family. In the hall of ancestor worship, she sat on a stool, with her face facing outward and her feet resting on a small stool. The matchmaker stepped forward and said a few auspicious words, such as: "It hurts to sit up straight" and "It's better after sitting sideways"? Wait a minute.

2. Then the young man took the girl by the hand and carefully put on the engagement ring for the Iraqi in his heart. From then on, he was destined to grow old together. Other bride price can be given to the woman's home. At the same time, the matchmaker has to tell the girl's parents that the man has decided to marry the girl on a certain day in the future, and he will give the woman a "sedan chair front plate" seven, five and three days before marriage, and decide what items and how much he needs at this time.

The gifts received by the woman's family should be dedicated to the ancestors. Tell your ancestors that your son and daughter have completed the etiquette of getting engaged to XXX. Completed the ceremony. Some female families also hold banquets for male guests, accompanied by their uncles and elders. During the dinner, they talked and laughed, which harmonized the atmosphere and enhanced understanding. After that, the engagement ceremony was over.

4. The "sedan chair front plate" before the wedding is commonly called "flower bag", except pork, chicken and sheep, which is "flower bag". Generally, each "flower bag" weighs about one catty. Like a disc with a diameter of six inches, more than one inch high, it is made of refined white flour and filled with white sugar, peanuts, fat meat and wax gourd sugar. Put a round double happiness word in the middle of the dough. Depending on the woman's needs, the number of flower bags is generally 100, or as many as 200, which are divided into several containers (a container in rural areas) to hold several loads, and a bright red double happiness word should be attached to each plate. In addition, a "gift bear" should be prepared and sent to the woman's house together with the "sedan chair front plate". The "gift bear" is full of pig's trotters, pork, noodles, eggs, chicken, wine and so on. Designed to honor the kindness of the woman's parents.

Bagua rice screen

With the progress and development of society, the custom of "engagement" in Quanzhou marriage in southern Fujian has gradually become simple and faded. For example, the "sedan chair front board" and "gift acceptance" are almost gone in towns except in remote rural areas, but the "engagement" ceremony still exists, but the etiquette is no longer so cumbersome.

1. Rice sieve is an important item in the marriage customs of southern Fujian. For example, when the bride gets married at the door, she needs a rice screen with a gossip pattern to cover her head, and then she can be welcomed into the man's house, which means peace and good luck. It is called "gossip rice screen" locally.

2. Speaking of "gossip rice screen", there is still a period of history. Legend has it that before the Tang Dynasty, southern Fujian was desolate, and local bandits often rebelled. In addition, because of the high mountains, bandits often harass people. At that time, it often happened that the bride's sedan chair was robbed or the bride was shot with arrows, and the people were often worried about it.

3. After Tang Jun came to Zhangzhou for development, the people reported the matter to the garrison for protection. Everyone thinks there is no good plan because bandits are moving around. When this incident reached the capital, Cheng, the founding hero, came up with a clever plan: he could order the sergeant to hang a shield in front of the sedan chair. If any random arrows come, the bride will block them with a shield, which will ensure safety. This move really worked. The villagers widely use shields as umbrellas and brides' amulets. With the development of Tang Jun and local people, Zhangzhou area has gradually become peaceful and prosperous, and bandits are less blatant. The bride was not injured by random arrows again. Because there is no danger, and the shield is bulky and inconvenient to carry, people use it instead of a rice screen similar to a shield.

4. In order to be different from the ordinary rice screen, the rice screen is painted with eight diagrams auspicious patterns, which is like a shield to ward off evil spirits and protect the body. This legend is by far the most widely circulated.

Another legend is that in ancient times, in southern Fujian, it often happened that Tengu came to rob beautiful girls. When this matter was reported to the court, an old minister, the Tang Dynasty, drew a gossip screen and put it in the bride's sedan chair to ward off evil spirits. Because Tengu is afraid of gossip, it is very peaceful.

6. Now, for the convenience of carrying, a flower umbrella at the beginning of gossip is used to replace the use of gossip rice screen when getting married, which is auspicious and can keep out the sun and rain. However, in rural weddings, it is still necessary to prepare a "gossip rice screen" to cover the bride and put it on the bed for good luck. This has become a unique wedding custom in southern Fujian and has been passed down from generation to generation among rural people.