"Married couples who love each other tell each other a thousand things without talking." (Chinese proverb). The continent of Asia, full of long lost history, battles, honor, but over all, mystery in its colorful culture and traditions that lights the spark of wonder and excitement. Today, my dear followers, it’s special, I will talk about marriage traditions in the continent of Asia, come together and learn with me some of the different costumes this people share in the most special day of their lives with the same basic concept, the union of two hearts into one forever in love.
Let’s start first of with the beautiful island of Japan. Japanese weddings are either Shinto or Buddhist. The Shinto weddings have a tradition of the rice wine, a couple drinks three times in front of a priest and it means that they promise to be dedicated to each other for life. Also, for Japanese the color purple symbolizes love and usually brides use kimonos covered with purple iris flowers; by the way a kimono is a Japanese traditional garment.
Koreans have a very peculiar way of celebrating weddings; it’s like having to weddings at the same day (with the same person, of course). First of all they a fortune-teller to looks into their future as a couple and see if there would be prosperity and love. At the wedding, they share a western like ceremony, with a white-short dress for the woman and a black suit for the man; after finishing the ceremony, they change into traditional Korean cloths and bow to their respective families which gives Jujube and nuts. This means a happy marriage and to have children.
In Indonesia, the bride and the groom get their lips dry by greeting each and every guest they invite to the wedding before the festivities can begin. Also, the brides will get a holy shower with water and flowers by the mother or a woman close to her before the ceremony.
The Chinese’s traditions where the ones that got my attention the most due to their symbolism and surprisingly by the good humor. During the festivities, an apple is held with a thread ahead of the couple; the guests asks for them to give a bit at the same time but when their lips touches the apple someone pulls the thread and they share a kiss. The gown of the bride are adorned by golden phoenixes, chrysanthemums and peonies, the color is bright red, which in China symbolizes good fortune and joy, happiness in its entire splendor. Firecrackers (which I personally adore) are always to be seen in Chinese weddings to scare off evil spirits.
This were some of my favorite traditions, there are even more and maybe in the next entry I will share some more with you. I will leave you with a question; which tradition did you find the most romantic, hilarious, or interesting? “See you” next time. With love, Anie.
Bibliography
Cheng Limin, Kartika Sinclair, Maki Kubo, Kim Young Lee. «Wedding Customs from Around the World.» 2005. TOPICS online magazine. 1 de September de 2011 <http://www.topics-mag.com/internatl/weddings/wedding-customs.htm>.
«Wedding Traditions in Asia.» 2004. World Wedding Traditions. 1 de September de 2011 <http://www.worldweddingtraditions.com/locations/asian_traditions.html>.
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