Wedding-Customs-Differences-中西方婚礼习俗差异

WeddingCustomsDifferences

betweenChinaandtheWestern

Ⅰ.Introduction

The21stcenturyisdominatedbyscienceandtechnology,whichmakesthewholeworlddevelopquiterapidly.Alongwiththedevelopmentoftheglobaltendency,differentnationsincreasinglycommunicatewitheachother.Inordertopromoteabetterunderstandingbetweendifferentnations,itisworthwhiletoknowmoreaboutdifferentcultures.Sinceweddingisamomentthatthecouplepromisetogothoughtherestoftheirliveswitheachother.Thereisnodoubtthattheweddingdaymustbeoneofthemostsplendidandunforgettabledaysinone’slifetime.ThereforethispaperaimstoexplorethedifferentculturesbetweenChinaandWesterncountriesfromthepointofviewofweddingcustomsandwilllistthemajordifferencesofChineseandWesternweddingsoastofindouttheinteriorfactorsthatresultinthedifferences.

TherearealotofdifferencesbetweenChineseweddingcustomsandWesternweddingcustomsfrompreparationstagefortheweddingtotheendofwedding.ChineseweddingcustomsaremuchmorecomplexthanWesternweddingcustoms,especiallyintheweddingceremonyaspects.IntheChinesetraditionalweddingcustomspeoplestressmore,forChinesepeoplearemoreconservativeandtraditional,buttheopen-mindedWesternpeople’sweddingismuchsimpler.

Besides,theirdifferentthoughts,differentreligionsanddifferentattitudestomarriageinfluencetheirweddingcustomsmuch,too.ChinesepeoplemostlybelieveinBuddhismbutWesternershavefaithinChristianity,whichdecidethepalacewheretheweddingisheldandhowcomplexthewholeprocessis.Chinesepeople’smarriageisrelativelystable.BecauseChinesepeoplealwaysconsidermarriageasoneofthemostimportantthingsinlife.Westerners’conceptsofmarriageareextremelydifferentfromChinese.Theybelievethatmarriageispurelyaprivatematter,andnoonecaninterfere.

ThisthesisaddressesthedifferencesbetweenChineseweddingcustomsandWesternweddingcustomsbyanalyzingtheweddingproceduresandtheinfluencesofdifferentthoughts,attitudesandreligionsontheweddingcustoms.ItisextremelyimportanttounderstandthedifferentculturesbetweenChinaandWesterncountries,whichwillhelpustocorrectlyunderstandthewordsanddeedsofWesternersintheinterculturalcommunication,fullyunderstand,andrespecteachother’scustomssoastogetthebesteffectofcommunication.

Ⅱ.TheDifferencesofWeddingCustomsbetweenChinaandtheWest

2.1.Pre-wedding

Inchina,theparentsalwayspreparesomedowryfortheirdaughter.Thebride’sdowryincludesascissor,aruler,somesugartablets,vases,acopperpotandapairofshoes,whichindicatefortune.Therearealsopairsofquilts,bedlinenandpillows,somesetsofclothesandsoon,whichmeansagoodwishfortheirrichandnicelife.Everyitemhasitsdifferentmeanings.

Atthebridegroom’shome,therearealsomanythingstobeprepared.Atfirsttheymusttidyandlayoutthebridalchamber,andthewholechambermustbedecoratedwithredthings,suchasredcandles,redquilts.PeoplepastecongratulatorycoupletsandlargeredChinesecharactermeaning“Happiness”inEnglishonthedoorframesandwalls.Andthentheyneedtopreparesomefood,fruit,tea,andwineonthetable,whichwillbeusedatthenightofthewedding.Atthesametimethebridegroommustpreparesomemoneypackagedinredpaperbagstothanksomepeopleonthedayofthewedding,suchashisbride’sbrotherandpeoplewhohelpedhim.Peoplethinkthemoneyinaredpaperbagfromthebridegroomwillbringthemgoodluckandnicelife.

InWesterncountries,whenitcomestothepreparations,wemusttalkaboutSomethingOld,SomethingNew,SomethingBorrowed,SomethingBlue,

2.2.Wedding

2.2.1WeddingLocation

InChina,theweddinglocationusuallyisabetterhotelaroundwhichthetransportationisconvenient,andthespaceisspacious.Becauseallkindsofceremonieswillbeheldthereandmanyfriendsandrelativeswillbereceiptedthere,thespacemustbeenoughbig.

WhileintheWestern,inordertohighlightthesolemnandholy,theweddingisgenerallyheldinthechurchorotherrelativelyquietplacesingoodorder.Relativelyspeaking,theWester