A Comparison of the Wedding Ceremony Between China

1AComparisonoftheWeddingCeremonyBetweenChinaandWesternCountriesinModernTimes1.Introduction1.1AGeneralIntroductionoftheChineseandWesternweddingCulture’sResearchThe21stcenturyisdominatedbyscienceandtechnology,whichmakesthewholeworlddevelopquiterapidly.Withtheconstantlyincreasingeconomicglobalizationandinternationalexchange,theculturesofdifferentregionsaregraduallyspreadandfused,suchastheweddingcustomsofChinaandWesternCountries.HoldingaweddingisregardedasaverysolemnceremonyeitherinChinaorinwestern.However,therearealsoalotofdifferencesbetweenChineseandWesternweddingcultures.ChineseweddinghasmanystepsandtheprocedureismuchmorecomplexthanWesternwedding,especiallyintheweddingceremony.IntheChinesetraditionalweddingcustoms,peoplestressmoreandtheyhavemanytaboos,forChinesepeoplearemoreconservativeandtraditional,buttheopen-mindedWesternpeople’sweddingismuchsimpler.Atthesametime,theirdifferentsocialsystemanddifferentattitudestomarriageinfluencetheirweddingcustomsmuch,too.ThisthesisaddressesthedifferencesbetweenChineseandWesternweddingcultures.ItisextremelyimportanttounderstandthedifferentculturesbetweenChinaandWesterncountries,whichwillhelpustocorrectlyunderstandthewordsanddeedsofWesternersintheinterculturalcommunication,fullyunderstandeachother,andrespecteachother'scustomssoastogetthebesteffectofcommunication.1.2TheWesternTheoriesoftheReasonsoftheDifferencesbetweenWestandEastCulturesFirst,atfirsthalfof20thcentury,GermanrenownedphilosopherKarlJaspersproposedaveryimportantconceptofculturalscienceinTheOriginandGoalofHistory,whichhadofferedtheconceptof“AxialAge”.Hethoughtafterhavingexperienced“AxialAge”,China2andtheWestcultureturnstowardtwocompletelydifferentdirections.ThiscausedChinaandtheWesttobeverygreatlydifferentintheculturaldomain.Second,astotheWesternculturetheory,thereistheindividualprincipleandthecollectivismtheory.SuchasHofstede'sculturalvaluedimensiontheory,KluckhohnandtheStrodtbeck'svaluesorientationtheoryaswellastheParsonspatternvariabletheory.ThirdistheTrans-Culturehumanrelationstheory.ThecommunicationmasterWBanay,W.BarnettPearceandVernonCronesputforwardthistheory.Theythoughtthatthehumanrelationsprocessreceivesrestrictionandtheinstruction;therefore,therulehastheimportantstatusinthistheory.Fourth,Trans-CulturehumanrelationsscholarDoddgivesmoresystematicandtheconvincingexplorationregardingtheTrans-CulturemarriageastheTrans-Culturehumanrelations'breach,andherealizedthatintheTrans-Culturemarriageexiststheculturalrelatedphenomenonandtheroleitplayed.1.3TheChineseTheoriesoftheReasonsAndastoChineseresearchers’studies,first,intheChinesecharacter,theanimalbonesandtortoiseshellshastheinscriptionof“theculture”.Theoriginalmeaningof“culture”isthepatternorthetexture.Second,inancienttimes,theSongbrightNeo-Confucianismemphasizedthethreecardinalethicalrelationshipsofthesocialorderandthefiveconstantvirtuesandthreerulesunderstandingculturaldifferencesmustbeobeyedandthefourfemininevirtues,whichwereusedtoensurethepatriarchalfamilystable,andtomaintainfather-right.Third,LiYiisthefirstbookthatrecordedweddingculturesinChina.Itsaid“Sixetiquettesconcluderequestingformarryingthebride,requestingforbrideandgroom’sbirthdates,givinginitialgiftsforthebride’sfamily,givingformalgiftsforthebride’sfamily,selectingtheweddingdateandholdingweddingceremony.”1.4TheImportanceofUnderstandingCulturalDifferencesUnderstandingculturaldifferencesisveryimportant.SincethereissuchabigdifferencebetweenEasternandWesterncultures,understandingculturaldifferencesbetweenChinaandWestcountrieswillhelpfostercross-culturalcommunicativecompetenceandthenbetterservethespreadofEnglish,widecommunicationandimproveteachingservices.Butthisis3notasimplematter,manyChinesepeoplewhoknowabouttheWestaspartofetiquettehavebasicallyanoverviewofteachersfromtheclassroom,butitisfarfromenough.Andwhatismore,theteachingofEnglishinuniversitiesareplacedemphasisonimpartingknowledgeofthelanguageattheexpenseofcross-culturalcommunicationabilities.Therefore,toexplorethebasisofculturaldifferencesisgoodfortheeliminationofexistingbarriersincross-culturalcommunicationandwecantakemeasurestoreducetheinclination.2.TheDiscussionaboutChineseandWesternDifferentWeddingCultures2.1Custom2.1.1ThreePapersandSixEtiquettesAccordingtoChineseweddingcustoms,thefirstetiquetteisThreePapersandSixEtiquettes,whichisasimportantastheengagementatWesternwedding.ThreePapersconsistsofthepaperofengagement,thelistpaperofthepresentstothebride’sandthepaperoffetchingthebride.Theyaregoingtobeusedonthedayofengagement,thebridegroom’sgivingthepresentsofmarriagetothebride’sandgoingandfetchingthebride.SixEtiquettesincludesaskingforengagement,askingforthenameandbirthsofthenewlyweds,showingsomepresentsforengagementtothebride’s,givingthepresentsofmarriagetothebride’s,choosingagooddatefortheweddingandgoingandfetchingthebrideonthedayofthewedding.Alltheseetiquettesmustbecompletelyinproperorderbeforethewedding,andthentheformalweddingcanbeheld.2.1.2EngagementInWesterncountries,peoplealwaysengagefirstandthentheycanholdtheformalwedding.Manyetiquettesan