I am a Manchu with a yellow flag, but I no longer know the customs of the past. The following is what I found about the Manchu marriage customs. Let’s learn about it together:
Manchu traditional marriage customs
The traditional Manchu marriage rituals are relatively complicated, and they are roughly adopted through the media. , place the items, accept the gifts, cross the box, welcome the bride, worship in the hall, worship the ancestors, separate the sizes, return to the door and other procedures.
The groom's family invites a matchmaker to propose to the girl's family. After both families agree, the bride's family gives Ruyi or a hairpin as a wedding gift. Then there is the engagement, that is, choosing an auspicious day, the groom's family and his relatives go to the bride's family to ask for her name, the bride's family holds a banquet, the groom's parents give a speech to propose, the bride's family rejects the proposal repeatedly, the groom's family insists on the proposal, and the bride's family agrees before it is finalized. marriage. At this time, the man will worship the woman’s family gods and her elders. After the engagement, there are gifts, and it is also an auspicious day. The groom's family sends gifts such as clothes, silks, sheep, and geese. The groom's family will also give some money as a gift. At this time, the wedding date must be agreed upon. Entering the wedding stage, the bride's family will send the dowry to the bride's family the day before the wedding, commonly known as "passing the box", and the groom will go to the bride's family to express his gratitude. When welcoming the bride, the groom, accompanied by the wedding team, drives a float to welcome the bride. When the two cars pass each other on the way, the bride's brother carries the bride onto the groom's float, which is commonly known as "car insertion" (due to different Manchu customs in different regions, there are also The groom and the welcoming team go directly to the bride's home to welcome the bride. In some places, there is a saying that "the custom is not to welcome the bride in person"). When the bride arrives at the groom's house, she changes cars and takes a sedan. When the sedan lands, the groom has to shoot three false arrows. The bride, wearing a red hijab, gets off the sedan, stands with the groom in front of the heaven and earth table that has been placed in the courtyard, and kowtows three times to the north, which is commonly known as worshiping the Big Dipper, which means worshiping the heaven and earth. After worshiping, the heaven and earth table is removed, and the bride enters the temporary tent, which is called sitting in the tent. When sitting in the tent, "open your face" and change your hair style. After sitting in the tent, the bride steps over the saddle and enters the bridal chamber. The groom uses the scale beam to remove the hijab and throws it to the eaves. The couple drank a glass of wine, ate Hexi noodles and cakes for their children and grandchildren, and everyone had a wedding ceremony. On the night of the wedding day, the bride and groom have to pay homage to their ancestors. On the first day after the wedding, the bride packs cigarettes and serves tea to her husband's relatives, pays homage to the clan, and recognizes the seniority, which is called the distinction between big and small. Generally, three days after the wedding, the couple returns to the bride's house to meet her family and ancestors. One month after the wedding, the bride returns to her parents' home to live for a month, which is called living in the opposite month. By this time, the wedding ceremony was over.
These complicated marriage procedures have been simplified and integrated with modern forms in areas where Manchus live today. For example, jumping into a car has evolved into young men and women riding bicycles or motorcycles, each accompanied by a wedding team. They start from their own homes. When they meet on the way, they exchange bicycles or motorcycles and then go to the groom's house together. There is also worship of ancestors, and in some places it has evolved into the practice of newlyweds worshiping both parents. Although there have been changes, it still has strong national characteristics. In addition, the marriage rituals of the Manchus vary slightly depending on the region where they live. They are not completely consistent, but the main procedures are roughly the same.
Manchu wedding customs
The wedding etiquette of the Manchus in the region is also very grand. The tribesmen call a man's marriage a "little Dengke". The marriage process generally includes discussing the marriage, changing cups, choosing auspiciousness, The procedures and steps include tailoring, giving gifts, lighting the sedan chair, worshiping the heaven and the earth, holding a wedding banquet, holding the bridal chamber, acknowledging the bride, and returning home.
The Manchu people have long adhered to the principle of not intermarrying with people of the same surname, and generally practiced the "marriage contract" system when getting married. In the old days, there was a custom of paying more attention to family status than betrothal gifts. The wedding date is usually determined by the groom's family based on the birth dates of both parties, and is often set as "double days". The day before the wedding day is the "dowry day". The girl's family will ask someone to carry the dowry into the groom's new house, which is called a "dowry show" or a "dowry box". The groom's family must also set up a "counting room" in the courtyard on this day. . On the wedding day, the groom's family prepares a colorful sedan and drums and music to welcome the bride. The groom and his companions, 4 or 6 people, ride to welcome the bride. The bride's family chooses 2 women with both children to accompany the bride, and a send-off team composed of father, brother, uncles and sister-in-law accompany the bride. Husband's family attends wedding banquet. The time for worshiping heaven and earth must be held before sunrise. After the worship, the newlyweds enter the pre-built "accounting room". The bride changes clothes in the accounting room, takes off the girl's clothes, puts on the daughter-in-law's clothes, and changes the daughter-in-law's hair style, which is called "Sit at the tent". After the tent sitting ceremony is over, the bridegroom and bride go out of the tent and enter the wedding hall. The groom takes off the "hijab" with a weighing pole. Then, the wedding banquet begins and ends in the evening, when the newlyweds enter the bridal chamber.
On the third day after the wedding, the groom accompanies the bride back to her natal home, where she prepares a banquet and then returns to her husband's home before noon. Within ten days after the wedding, the bride has to go to the ancestral hall or ancestral grave to worship, which is commonly known as "going to the happy grave". One month after the wedding, the bride returns to her parents' home to stay for a few days. After returning, the entire wedding ceremony ends.
After the 1950s and 1960s, the wedding ceremonies of the Manchu people gradually became simpler, or were generally similar to Han customs.
Traditional Manchu wedding customs
Wedding: In the past, the wedding etiquette of Manchu girls was more complicated and the preparation time was long. When Manchu girls approach adulthood, they have to learn to do needlework. At the beginning, you learn to cut window grilles, embroider needlework, embroider purses, shoe soles, embroider pillows, embroider shoe uppers, embroider waistbands, make quilts, clothes, etc. The embroidered soles are put away for your own use or as gifts for the groom. . The quality of the life on the bottom of the box is a symbol of a girl's education and dexterity. Therefore, the landscapes, flowers, plants, figures, birds, animals, insects and fish on these life on the bottom of the box are vivid and lifelike, and they are all exquisite works of art.
Engagement. This is an important step that every Manchu girl must go through when getting married. From talking about getting married to getting married, it usually goes through the process of blind date, accepting a gift, making a small order, exchanging cups, sending Geng stickers, paying betrothal gifts, etc.
Manchu people want to meet relatives and friends when they get married.
After setting the wedding date, invite relatives, friends and neighbors to come to congratulate and help. Before welcoming the bride, the man must find a suitable place in the village as the woman's "beneath" (the so-called "suitability" means that before the formal wedding ceremony, the woman cannot pass through the groom's door, otherwise it will be unlucky. The place below is the place where the bride and the bridesmaids rest before the wedding ceremony) , where the bride lived, wrap a few copper coins or coins (please have pairs, not singles) in a red paper bag, and place them secretly under the edge of the mat to show good luck. The marriage process usually takes three days.
The first day is "welcoming the bride". The natal family invites people who have the same zodiac signs as the groom and the bride and who have a complete family to send the bride off. They are usually the bride's elder relatives, elder brothers and sisters-in-law, and younger brothers or nephews of the younger generation carry the car. There is no limit to the total number of people, you can go in pairs and return in single. When the bride goes out, she takes a mouthful of food or candy and spits out half of it inside the door and half outside the door to show that both lives are happy. When going out, you board a colored sedan (or float) to pick up the bride, see her off, or meet the groom's car on the way. If you miss the car, it is called "grabbing the string". When the two cars meet, there will be a roar of gongs and drums and firecrackers. The bride's brother will carry the bride to her home. On the groom's sedan (or car), this is called changing the sedan or carrying the sedan. A bridesmaid will sit in the bride's sedan (or car) and go to the groom's home with her. When the newlyweds' car arrives at the lower place, the groom's parents, relatives and friends bring wine to the newlyweds to drink from the "dismounting cup". The bride, the bride-to-be, and the boy who presses the car don't get out of the car for the time being. The host presents the wedding money before getting off the car and going to the "lower place".
On the evening of the same day, the bride's brother or elders enter the new house and lay out the dowry, which is called a "liang box". They play loud drums and welcome the new bride, and then treat the new bride to drink "liang box wine".
The next day is the official day, and the formal wedding will be held. Both men and women have to get up early to choose the auspicious time of the fifth night. The bride dresses up from below in a red trousers and green jacket, and applies heavy powder to her face. For fear of being possessed by evil spirits, she wears "ugly" clothes. Wearing "treading shoes", combing a bun, wearing a "red hijab", holding a treasure vase, and carrying a bronze mirror, the bridegroom is carried from the house to a sedan and a car (called a sedan) to the groom's door. The bow was pulled three times, three arrows were shot, the drums and music were blaring, the firecrackers were blasting, and the red carpet began to be poured out. The bride-to-be and the bride-to-be were supporting the bride, and two boys with lanterns walked in front, reciting a happy song while the bride Stepping over the brazier means the days are blazing. The groom's family sprinkles the prepared cereals, millet, wheat, hemp, and beans on the bride to show that the bride will bring a good harvest. When they come to the God's table, the groom and the bride will be guided by the patriarch (called Mokunda by the Manchus) or elders to worship heaven and earth. Afterwards, the patriarch or elders will hold the incense stick and start walking to the new house. When they reach the door, their sister-in-law blocks the door. This is called "suppressing sex". After entering the house, crossing the saddle, and getting on the kang, "climb cakes" and "sitting on blessings." After getting on the kang, the man stretches his bow and shoots around, inserts the bow and arrow into the incense bucket, and uses the weighing rod placed on the incense bucket to lift Cover your head and insert it into the incense bowl. The boy pressing the cart began to nail the door curtain and recited the joyful song: "One nail of gold, two nails of silver, three nails make the children become a flock." Then they started to eat half-cooked dumplings (according to the age of the bride, one pair per year, half made by her mother's family and half by her husband's family). The bride-to-be asked: "Is the child alive?" The answer was: "生"! Both men and women did not Eat it and put it under the kang mat. The remaining men's tribesmen rushed to eat, and no foreigners were allowed to eat, and no girls were allowed to eat. The men and women sit side by side in Zuifu (sitting tent) for varying lengths of time, usually an hour, and some brides never get off the ground. The bride's face is opened by a woman with both children (using thin threads to cut off the hair), her hair is combed and she wears hairpins and jewelry. After the newlyweds finish eating the "Xia Ma Noodles", they begin to sit down at the main table. They sit at tables of different generations to accompany the newlyweds. After the banquet is over, the newlyweds can go back (some places may leave after three days). Before the sun sets, the bride is accompanied by her sister-in-law to watch the setting moon and watch the sun turn red. That night, the groom and the bride's family had a reunion dinner and filled the elders with wine. After the wedding ceremony in the evening, they worship the Big Dipper before going to bed. The bride and groom drink wine and eat reunion cakes, and the woman gives the man purses, belts and other gifts.
The third day is to "recognize the big and small" and "worship the ancestors", and there are three days to return home, which vary from place to place.
The marriage customs of the Manchu people are constantly changing with the development of the times. The majority of people get married in modern fashionable and civilized ways.