The Chinese Hair Dressing and Capping Rites and Their Importance in Chinese Asian Weddings
In China, red is a very important colour in weddings. It symbolises love, joy, and wealth and it is used in many places during the marital process. The bride's dress is often red, along with the invitations, gift wrappings and envelopes. The decorations around the couple's home are also red on the big day.
The "Hair Dressing" Rite
As the sun rises on the wedding day, the bride is roused and taken to have a bath containing pumelo and grapefruit. The reason for this is in order to wash evil power off of her body, as well as for beautifying purposes; softening and moisturising her skin. Overseen by a "good luck woman" (a fertile lady with many children) she would then put on new underwear and sit in front of lit candles. This "good luck woman" would then style the bride's hair in a smooth bun, the way of a traditional married girl. She would mutter severe words as she did this.
One the girl's hair was up, she would be transported on her good luck woman's back into the main hall. She would be dressed there into an assortment of mostly red clothing and a matching veil. When finished, she would bow to her parents and ancestral slabs whereupon she would have to await the procession from her soon-to-be husband and the journey to the Asian wedding venues.
The "Capping" Rite
The groom, wearing long white robes, red shoes and a red band with a silk ball on his shoulder, would be kneeling at his family altar. An inner cap would be placed on his head by his father followed by another cap decorated with cypress leaves. His hair would then be combed into a bun.
After this is the time for the young man to bow down before sacred slabs, including those of Heaven and Earth and his forefathers before turning to repeat this gesture of respect to his relatives. It would not be unusual for the father to give a speech congratulating him at this time, before removing the silk ball from the band and putting it atop the bridal sedan chair. He too would then go to the Asian wedding venues.
These rituals are important to a marriage ceremony because the changing of hairstyle represents their metamorphosis into adulthood. Both rites are carefully attended to, to appease the ancestors, keep demons and omens at bay and ensure that nothing interfered with the future love and fertility of the newlywed couple.
The "Hair Dressing" Rite
As the sun rises on the wedding day, the bride is roused and taken to have a bath containing pumelo and grapefruit. The reason for this is in order to wash evil power off of her body, as well as for beautifying purposes; softening and moisturising her skin. Overseen by a "good luck woman" (a fertile lady with many children) she would then put on new underwear and sit in front of lit candles. This "good luck woman" would then style the bride's hair in a smooth bun, the way of a traditional married girl. She would mutter severe words as she did this.
One the girl's hair was up, she would be transported on her good luck woman's back into the main hall. She would be dressed there into an assortment of mostly red clothing and a matching veil. When finished, she would bow to her parents and ancestral slabs whereupon she would have to await the procession from her soon-to-be husband and the journey to the Asian wedding venues.
The "Capping" Rite
The groom, wearing long white robes, red shoes and a red band with a silk ball on his shoulder, would be kneeling at his family altar. An inner cap would be placed on his head by his father followed by another cap decorated with cypress leaves. His hair would then be combed into a bun.
After this is the time for the young man to bow down before sacred slabs, including those of Heaven and Earth and his forefathers before turning to repeat this gesture of respect to his relatives. It would not be unusual for the father to give a speech congratulating him at this time, before removing the silk ball from the band and putting it atop the bridal sedan chair. He too would then go to the Asian wedding venues.
These rituals are important to a marriage ceremony because the changing of hairstyle represents their metamorphosis into adulthood. Both rites are carefully attended to, to appease the ancestors, keep demons and omens at bay and ensure that nothing interfered with the future love and fertility of the newlywed couple.
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