ShuiZu wedding custom

       The Shui people continue to keep the strong traditional color in the customs in weddings and funerals. They stress importance of a right and legal marriage. Before getting married, young man and women may make use of the opportunity of singing in antiphonal styles on festivals or when going to village fairs to make friends or have love affairs. Even if they become engaged through their free love, formal weddings must be carried out for their marriage. Otherwise, it will not conform to the etiquette and such a marriage will be discriminated by others. After the young boy and girl fall in love with each other, they should ask somebody to tell their parents of both sides. In case their parents would express agreement with it, the future bridegroom's family may ask the matchmaker to send presents for the engagement. And a lucky day should be fixed to send a group of people to the future bride's home, carrying piglets for Chixiaojiu (small-scale dinner party for celebrating their engagement). When the bridegroom's side formally welcomes the bride on the wedding day, they send a group of people to deliver the bride's a big fat pig for Chidajiu (grand-scale dinner party for celebrating their marriage). At the dinner party, songs for toasting should be sung.         
        After the hostess sings a song, the guests should drink up a bowlful of wine until the guests should be dead drunk, thus showing the boundless hospitality of the hostess. The families of both sides' should not join the activities of fetching the bride or sending the bride. Except in rare areas that the bride should be carried to the groom's on the back of the bride's brother, in most cases, the bride is dressed in her best, carrying in her hand a red paper umbrella that has been deliberately torn with a crack and walking in front of the queue. The accompany boys and girls and the long queue carrying dowries and trousseaus follow closely after the bride. The bride generally goes out of her parents' home around noon, and gets into the groom's home at six or seven o'clock in the evening. Before the lucky time comes, the bride should not get into the groom's home. Before the bride gets into the bridegroom's home, the bridegroom's families should go out of their doors to avoid meeting the bride. They should not come back until the bride gets into their home. At the night of the newly-married couple the accompany girl should stay up with the bride. The next day after the marriage ceremony, the bride should go back to her parents' home and stay with her parents. At the proper time after the wedding ceremony at the bridegroom's home, the bridegroom may ask the bride come back to the groom's home and begin their new life of husband and wife. Some brides go back to their own parents' homes for Zuojia (staying at home) for a period of time up to one or two months for the first time, which is the remaining marriage custom of Buluofujia (separation of newly married couples). There is a most taboo that both families are afraid of weather change with thunders on the way of the bride's going to the bridegroom's home, therefore, wedding ceremonies are generally held in autumn or in winter.

旅行生活只因你的驻足而精彩（中国China）