What Are The Five Stages Of Ancient Chinese Marriage Culture

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China has a history of 5000 years, of its brilliant culture, marriage culture is here worthy of researching. It has changed a lot over time due to the change of dynasties and it varies in different ethics and origins. However, they also have their own unique characteristics and rituals which have been carried forward to the present and still exert a far-reaching influence on later generations. There are five stages of ancient Chinese marriage culture. Primitive group marriage: In the prehistoric time, ancient Chinese lived together by groups and there was no such thing as fixed spouses. As the female group was the weak sex then and there was nothing shameful for them and no marriage customs restrict them. Consanguineous Marriage:Consanguineous …show more content…

The dowry represented her social status and wealth, and would be displayed at the boy 's house. The most common dowries included scissors like two butterflies never separating, rulers indicating acres of fields, and vases for peace and wealth.( Ancient Chinese Marriage Custom, n. d) Traditional marriage customs lost their popularity due to the collapse of feudal marriage customs and their complexity. However, traditional marriage can still be seen in the countryside, despite innovations. Now, traditional marriage customs are being revived in some places and they are attracting many prospective couples. (Xi, …show more content…

Ancient had a belief that the wedding customs and wedding rituals were created by Zhou Gong. Mei Po was part of the first rite while the second rite was the presentation of the girl’s name and other details. The gifts for the bride included red embroidered satin, gold jewelry and money sealed in red packets. The parents of the bride would send her dowry of household utensils, furniture, jewelry and a special item consisting of a bronze bucket and a pair of shoes to symbolize prosperity and harmony for the new couple. After the wedding the bride had to perform many rituals, such as covering her head, drinking wine with the groom, sitting in bed and being teased by relatives. After the wedding dinner the married couple retired to their