In the old days, men and women had to go through a lot of red tape from engagement to marriage. The general procedures included engagement, matchmaking, marriage, visit to the church, return home, etc.
When an engaged man and woman are from the same household, the parents make the decision and ask a matchmaker to arrange marriage. They first ask a fortune teller to "combine the eight characters" and then write "Xia Cambodia" (engagement agreement). When "Xia Cambodia", the man faces the woman. Give a bride price. The rich family's betrothal gifts include gold and silver jewelry, colorful satin clothing, and the bride's gift is pen and ink, while the poor family's gift is cotton cloth and silver jewelry. The marriage contract is fixed and cannot be changed.
Initiating a matchmaking: The man determines the date of marriage, writes a note on red paper according to the established format, and asks the matchmaker to send it to the woman's home, called "sending the date". If the woman has no objection, she will reply to the note. Two days before the wedding, the man brings dragon and phoenix cakes, pig's trotters, fish, roosters (northern male goose) and wedding clothes in several boxes or boxes, and the woman brings hens (northern goose), clothes and other gifts. Hats, shoes, socks, and pastries are given in return; the dowry given by the woman is carried back, and some rich families give houses, fields, and maids as gifts.
Get married according to the set date, rain or shine, it is midnight and midnight in the county town, and noon on the same day in the countryside. The groom does not welcome him in person, but a young child rides a sedan chair on his behalf, which is called "pressing the bridge". The palace lanterns lead the way, and the gongs and drums are noisy. When the sedan chair arrives in front of the bride's house, the gongs and drums sound "Double Happiness" to express congratulations, and then "Myna Takes a Bath" is played to urge the bride to take a bath and set off. At this time, the bride is carried into the sedan by her uncle or brother, and covers her head with a red scarf. She cries incessantly to express her reluctance to leave her parents. Rich families use one large sedan to carry the bride, and two small sedans to carry the bride-to-be; poor families only use two small sedans to carry the bride. Besides the bride, there is only one "bridal bride-to-be" and no gongs and drums are used. The bridal sedans do not need to take the same route back and forth. When encountering other bridal sedans, the brides must exchange trouser belts. When the sedan chair arrives, firecrackers go off, and the groom arranges flowers and colors and goes out to greet the guests, both male and female. When the bride enters the house, she should sit on a saddle and hold a vase, which indicates a peaceful life.
The worship ceremony is held in the central hall. There is an incense table and candles in the hall, and it is presided over by the celebrant (called "Li Xian"). The "sending bride" and "receiving bride" help the newlyweds to worship heaven and earth first, then to the high hall (parents), and then the couple bows to each other. Then the groom leads the bride into the bridal chamber with red silk, and they drink dragon and phoenix soup and honey oil together. Then the bride presents handkerchiefs, shoes, socks or other items to the elders, and the recipients must reward the bride with coins, which is called "rewarding money". In the evening, there is a special time for "reunion wine", where the new couple sits on the table and is accompanied by their female relatives. When serving dishes to the bride, speak some auspicious words. After dinner, "spreading the room" is done. After the spreading, red-dyed ginkgo, peanuts and dates are scattered together from the hall and courtyard to the new house, to the bride and groom, while singing and the crowd cheers. In the end, relatives and friends "make love", and there is a saying that "no matter how big or small you are during the three days," so both young and old can participate.
Returning to the home On the morning of the third day after the wedding, the bride and her husband return to her parents' home, which is called "returning to the home". The bride's family held a banquet and invited relatives and friends to accompany her. In the afternoon, the new couple returned home and had to walk across the "Zhuangyuan Bridge" to enter the house. The "Zhuangyuan Bridge" is set up in the courtyard with square tables and wooden ladders. It is covered with red felt and placed with dates, scissors, chopsticks, slings and other objects to indicate early or fast birth. The bride is supported by the groom across the bridge, and the bride is asked to pick up and identify the objects placed on the bridge to seek good luck. Building new houses is a private matter. In the old days, when building a house, it was common to ask Mr. Yin and Yang to choose the foundation and orientation and choose an "auspicious day" to start construction. When going up to the roof beams, set up an incense table and offer sacrifices to Luban. Wrap red paper (cloth) around the roof beams. Use red and yellow paper to write the words "Jiang Taigong, the gods avoid here", and paste them on the rafters in the middle of the room, on both sides. Hang the couplet "The upper beam meets the zodiac sun, the vertical column meets the purple star". Firecrackers were set off, and carpenters squatted high on the beams, throwing steamed buns, peanuts, candies and other food downwards for the villagers to grab and cheer.
When moving into a new home, relatives, friends and neighbors send wine, meat and supplies to congratulate them on the move. This is called "burning the bottom of the pot", and the host entertains them with wine and food in the new home.