The Traditional Chinese Wedding 华人传统婚礼

Crossed-cup Wine 交杯酒

In Chinese culture, wedding is considered a joining of two families, thus when a couple decide to get married, both families get involved. Chinese wedding traditions are as varied and complex. During the centuries of ethnic Chinese migration throughout Asia, traditions have evolved and changed due to a myriad of regional and cultural influence.

Here is a record of the wedding tradition written by Meng Yuanlao of Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) in his book ‘Records of Dreams in East Capital’:

The bridegroom invites his bride to tie together two lengths of silk, one from each family, and make a concentric knot. This is called the ‘leading scarf’. The bridegroom hangs one end of the scarf on his hand plate, while the bride holds the other end in her hand. The groom walks backwards, guiding the bride face to face, out of the room. After paying homage to the ancestors in the family temple, the bride walks backwards to the nuptial chamber. With their aims supported by maids, the bride and groom try to be the first to salute each other.

After this, they sit on the edge of the bed, the bride on the left, the groom on the right. Women sprinkle coins and all kinds of dried fruit and nuts around them. This is called sa zheng (literally, casting tent).

People bind together a strand of the groom’s hair on left side of his hand with that of the bride on the right side. Both families offer bolts of silk, hairpins and other decorations for the head and put them together. This procedure is called he ji (literally, joining hairs).

Afterwards, two tiny wine cups are tied together with a colourful silk string and the newlyweds drink the wine together. This practice is called ‘drink cross-cupped wine’. Then they throw the cups and the decorated head-dress underneath the bed. If it happens that one cup faces upwards and the other downwards, it is regard as auspicious and the wedding guests will congratulate them.

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在华人的传统里，婚姻算是两个家庭的结合，所以当一对新人决定结婚，两家都积极参与。华人的婚礼传统多样与复杂。随着这几个世纪华人移居亚洲各国，这次传统也受到地区域文化的影响而演变与改变。

以下是宋朝（960-1279）孟元老在《东京梦华录》卷五中的记载：

婿于床前请新妇出，二家各出彩段，绾一同心，谓之“牵巾”，男挂于笏，女搭于手，男倒行出，面皆相向，至家庙前参拜毕，女复倒行，扶入房讲拜，男女各争先后。

对拜毕，就床，女向左坐，男向右坐，妇女以金钱彩果散掷，谓之“撒帐”。

男左女右，留少头发，二家出匹段、钗子、木梳、头须之类，谓之“合髻”。

然后用两盏以彩结连之，互饮一盏，谓之“交杯酒”。饮讫，掷盏并花冠子于床下，盏一仰一合，俗云“大吉”，则众喜贺。