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WeddingCeremonyWeddingCeremony♥ChineseWedding（中式婚礼）♥Western-styleWedding♥GreekWedding♥MexicanWedding♥IndianWedding♥SouthKoreanWeddingChineseWedding（中式婚礼）TheHistoryofChineseWeddingEversinceancienttimes,therehasbeenasayingthatthethreemostdelightfulmomentsinone'slifecomewithsuccessintheimperialexamination,marriageandthebirthofason.FromtheQin(221BC–206BC)toQing(1644–1911)Dynasties,thefeudalsystemdominatedovertwothousandsyears.Duringthisperiod,theimportanceofgettingmarriedwasfarmorethanthatapersonfoundhisbetterhalf.Forthemaleside,itdeterminedtheprosperityandeventhefuturefameoftheirfamily;whileforthefemaleside,itmeantthatparentslostthechanceofseeingtheirdaughterforalongtime.Thustochooseanidealpartnerwasvitalforboththeindividualandthefamily.imperialadj.皇帝的；帝国的feudaladj.封建制度的dominatevt.控制；支配prosperityn.繁荣，成功Infeudalsociety,amarriagewouldbedecidednotbyayoungcouple'slove,butbytheirparents'desires.Onlyafteramatchmaker'sintroductionandwhenparentsconsideredthetwofamilyconditionsweresimilarandcouldbematched,wouldthemarriageproceduresgoforward.Conditionsthatshouldbetakenintoconsiderationincludedwealthandsocialstatus.Ifaboy'sfamilywaswell-offoranofficialfamily,hisparentswouldneverpermithimtomarryagirlfromapoorfamily.Essentialtothemarriageprocesswerethecommonlyrecognized'threeLettersandsixetiquettes'.Thethreeletterswerethebetrothalletter,thegiftletterwithagiftslistandtheweddingletterusedonthedaythebridegroommethisbrideatherhome.Sixetiquettesthenledtothefinalweddingceremony.matchmakern.媒人proceduren.程序，手续；步骤essentialadj.基本的；必要的etiquetten.礼节，礼仪betrothaln.订婚；婚约bridegroomn.新郎briden.新娘TheHistoryofChineseWeddingFiveStepsBeforetheWeddingCeremony•Proposing•BirthdayMatching•PresentingBetrothalGifts（聘礼）•PresentingWeddingGifts•SelectingtheWeddingDateProposingwhenaboy'sparentsintendedtomakeamatch,theywouldinviteamatchmakertoproposewiththematthegirl'shome.Itwasthecustomthatthefirsttimematchmakerwentasaguesttheycouldnotbeservedteainordernotto'lightenthemarriage'.Iftheproposalwassuccessful,however,thematchmaker(usuallyawoman)wouldberewardedwithprofusegiftsandfeaststoshowthetwofamilies'gratitude.Manyunmarriedyoungpeoplecouldnotseeandwereunfamiliarwitheachothertilltheirweddingday.BirthdayMatchingAfterknowingthegirl'sfullnameandbirthday,theywouldaskafortunetellertopredictwhetherthatcouldmatchtheirson'sandwhethertherewouldbeahappymarriage.TheChinesezodiac(n.[天]黄道带，十二宫图)wouldbesurelytakenintoconsideration.PresentingBetrothalGiftsIfthematchwaspredictedtobeauspicious(吉利的),thematchmakerwouldtakegiftstothegirl'sparentsandtellthemthattheprocesscouldcontinue.PresentingWeddingGiftsThiswasthegrandestetiquette（礼节）ofthewholeprocessofengagement.Prolific(adj.多产的,丰富的)giftswerepresentedagaintothegirl'sfamily,symbolizingrespectandkindnesstowardsthegirl’sfamilyaswellasthecapabilityofprovidingagoodlifeforthegirl.SelectingtheWeddingDatetheboy'sfamilyaskedthefortune-tellertochooseadateaccordingtotheastrologicalbookwhenitwouldbeproperandpropitioustoholdtheweddingceremony.WeddingCeremony①theweddingceremonybeganwiththegroomandhispartymeetingthebrideinherhome.Beforethisdaythebride'sdowry（嫁妆）wouldhavebeensenttotheboy'shouse.Thedowryrepresentedhersocialstatusandwealth,andwouldbedisplayedattheboy'shouse.Themostcommondowriesincludedscissorsliketwobutterfliesneverseparating,rulersindicatingacresoffields,andvasesforpeaceandwealth.②Beforethemeetingparty'sarrival,thebridewouldbehelpedbyarespectableoldwomantotieupherhairwithcolorfulcottonthreads.ShewouldweararedskirtasChinesebelievedredforeshadowed（预示）delight.Whenthepartyarrived,thebride,coveredbyaredhead-kerchief,mustcrywithhermothertoshowherreluctancetoleavehome.Shewouldbeledorcarriedbyherelderbrothertothesedan(花轿）.Inthemeetingpartythebridegroomwouldmeetaseriesofdifficultiesintentionallysetinhispath.Onlyaftercopingwiththesecouldhepasstoseehiswife-to-be.WeddingCeremonyWeddingCeremony③Onthearrivalofthesedanattheweddingplace,therewouldbemusicandfirecrackers.Thebridewouldbeledalongtheredcarpetinafestiveatmosphere.Thebridegroom,alsoinaredgown,wouldkowtowthreetimestoworshiptheheaven,parentsandspouse（拜天地）.Thenthenewcouplewouldgototheirbridalchamber（洞房，新房）andguestswouldbetreatedtoafeast.Wineshouldbepouredtothebrimofacupbutmustnotspillover.④Onthenightoftheweddingday,therewasacustominsomeplacesforrelativesorfriendstobanterthenewlyweds（闹洞房）.Thoughthisseemedalittlenoisy,bothofthemdroppedshynessandgotfamiliarwitheachother.WeddingCeremony⑤Onthethirddayofthemarriage,thenewcouplewouldgobacktothebride'sparents'home.Theywouldbereceivedwithalsoadinnerpartyincludingrelatives.WeddingCeremonyOfcourse,marriagecustomsdifferedbyregion,butthesewerethemostcommon.Theyhavebeenmaintainedforthousandsofyears,butinrecentyears(especiallyafterthefoundingofmodernChina),peoplehavetendedtodiscardsomeofthedetailsandadvocatesimplifiedmarriageproceduresandweddingceremonies.Western-styleWedding订婚仪式：Itallbeginswiththeengagement.Traditionally,ayoungmanasksthefatherofhissweetheartforpermissiontomarryher.Ifthefatheragrees,themanlaterproposestoher.Oftenhetriestos