从《喜宴》看中美婚姻观差异

ContentsTOC\o"1-3"\h\uChineseAbstract 2EnglishAbstract 31.Introduction 41.1AnIntroductiontoAngLeeandXiYan 41.2LiteratureReview 52.DifferencesofViewofMarriageBetweenChinaandAmericainXiYan 82.1DifferencesofStandardofChoosingaSpouse 82.2DifferencesofMarriagePurpose 92.3DifferencesofWeddingRitual 113.ReasonsofDifferentViewofMarriageBetweenChinaandAmerica 123.1DifferentReligiousFaith 123.2DifferentSocialEnvironment 134.Conclusion 15References 17从《喜宴》看中美婚姻观差异摘要随着跨文化交际的迅速发展，中美双方的文化交流日益密切。在这种背景下，中美双方对婚姻的看法自然也存在着差异，这些差异可能给跨文化交流带来障碍，甚至冲突，在这背景下了解中美婚姻观具有重大意义。本文以李安电影《喜宴》为例来分析以伟同父母为代表的中国典型式婚姻观和赛门所代表的美国婚姻观。本文从择偶标准，结婚目的以及婚礼仪式这三个方面进行比较分析，并阐述导致这些差异的原因，以便在现流行的跨国婚姻中，做好充分准备，避免中美双方误解和冲突，便于开展更加成功的跨国婚姻，帮助人们形成正确婚姻观。关键字：《喜宴》；婚姻观；文化差异TheDifferencesofViewofMarriageBetweenChinaandAmericaReflectedinXiYanAbstractWiththerapiddevelopmentofcross-culturalcommunication,culturalexchangesbetweenChinaandtheUnitedStateshavebecomeincreasinglyclose.Undersuchcircumstance,therearealsosomedifferentviewsonmarriagebetweenChinaandtheUnitedStates.Thesedifferencesmaybringobstaclesorevenconflictstocross-culturalexchanges.Inthiscontext,itisofgreatsignificancetounderstandtheChineseandAmericanviewsonmarriage.ThispapertakesAngLee’sfilmXiYanasanexampletoanalyzethetypicalChinesemarriageconceptrepresentedbyGaoWeitong’sparentsandtheAmericanmarriageconceptrepresentedbySimon.Thispapermakesacomparativeanalysisfromthreeaspectsofspouseselectioncriteria,marriagepurposeandweddingceremony,andexplainthereasonsforthesedifferences,soastomakefullpreparationinthecurrentpopulartransnationalmarriage,avoidmisunderstandingandconflictbetweenChinaandAmerican,facilitatemoresuccessfultransnationalmarriage,andhelppeopleformacorrectmarriageconcept.Keywords:XiYan；viewofmarriage;culturaldifferences1.Introduction1.1AnIntroductiontoAngLeeandXiYanAngLeewasborninTaiwanin1954andgrewupinafamilywhichhadtypicaltraditionalethics.Asaresult,hewaswell-acquaintedwithtraditionalChineseculture,whichcanprovideoriginalmaterialsinhisfilms.AftergraduatingfromtheartschoolofNationalTaiwanUniversityin1975,AngLeewenttostudyintheUnitedStatesaloneforfurtherstudy.Atfirst,hestudiedatIllinoisUniversityandreceivedabachelor’sdegreeindrama.Later,hewenttoNewYorkUniversitytostudyfilmproductionandgotamaster’sdegreeinfilm.What’smore,healsohadmademanyfamousfilmsduringthisperiod.Fromthebeginningofhisuniversitytothecreationoffilms,hecombinedChineseculturewithwesternculturetocreatenewworks,whichlaidancrucialpositioninHollywoodfilmindustry.HisfilmscancombineChinesetraditionalConfucianhumanismandreligiousaestheticwisdom,andalsocombineChineseplotwithwesternhumanisticbackground,therefore,theworkswithuniquestyleofAngLeeareformed.InAngLee’searlyworkXiYan,itcanhaveadistinctiveorientalbeautytofrightenwesternfilms,consequently,itenablespeopletofeelthecharmofChina’scultureandaesthetics,andfeelthedifferentculturesandaestheticcharacteristicsfromthewesternworld.ThereisnodoubtthatAngLeehassetupabridgebetweeneasternandwesterncultures.AsapersongrowingupinatraditionalChinesefamily,henotonlymadeChinesefilms,suchasPushingHands,XiYan,EatDrinkManWoman,andCrouchingTiger,HiddenDagon,butalsomadeEnglishfilmssuchasSenseandSensibility.Atthesametime,healsomadesomecommercialfilmssuchasIceStorm,RridingwiththeDevil.Amongthem,hisfilmXiYanisenjoyedgreatreputationbyaudiencesaroundtheworld,andhaswon“bestforeignlanguagefilm”,“GoldenBearAward”andsoon.ThisfilmisoneofthefilmsthatdirectorAngLeereceivedinternationalattentioninhisearlyyears.It’saChinesefilmmadeentirelyintheHollywoodformat,whichwonunanimouspraiseafterreleasing.ThefilmwontheGoldenBearAward,TheBestDirectoraward,andwasalsonominatedforBestForeignLanguageFilmattheOscar.Themovie,XiYanisaboutGaoWeitong,ahomosexuallivingintheUnitedStates,wholivesinManhattanwithhisloverSimon,anAmericanman.InordertogetridofhisparentswhocomefromTaibeitoforcehimtomarry,hedecidestomarryGuWeiwei,anillegalimmigrantfemalepainterwhoisworriesaboutnotgettingagreencard.Atlast,Weiweiispregnant,whichleadstotheestrangementandquarrelbetweenSimonandWeitong.Onemisunderstandingafteranotherarise.Weitong’sfatherrealizesthetruthbecauseheunderstandstheirquarrel.Weitongishospitalized.Therefore,WeitongtellshismotherabouthisrelationshipwithSimon.Thefourpeopledecidetohidethetruth,buttheydon’tthinkthattheseniorfatheralreadyknowseverythingandagreeswiththeirrelationship.Finally,Weiweidecidestogivebirthtoachild,SimonagreedtobetheirGodfather.ThelastsceneofthemovieisattheairportintheUnitedStates.ItendswithapictureofWeitong’sfatherholdinguptheirhands,asignofcompromise.ThefilmreflectsthecollisionoftraditionalweddingetiquettebetweenChinaandthewesternworld,andthedifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternmarriageconceptswerevividlyreflectedinXiYan.1.2LiteratureReviewDomesticresearchonthemarriageviewcanberetrospectedtotheBookofRites-MarriageRighteousness.Thedefinitionofmarriageinthisbookis“theweddingwillbethenameofgood,inatemple,nexttothelateralso”itcanbeseenthattheancientsthoughtthemainpurposeofmarriageistoservehisparents,andcarryonthefamilylineage.Afterthereformandopeningup,duetotheinfluenceofwesternculture,themarriageconceptofChinahasbecomequiterespectfulforwomenandhumanrights.Quietafewscholarsbegantofurtherexploremarriage,inTheChangeofMarriageViewofContemporaryChineseundertheTransitionofWesternCulture,HanQinghua(2008)studiedtheinfluenceofwesterncultureonChinesemarriageconcept.HeexploredthereasonsforthechangeofChinesemarriageconceptandpointedouttheimpactofwesternthoughtsonChinesetraditionalmarriageconceptandvalues.ThishelpedChinesewomentoobtainindependentpersonality,equalrighttoeducation,andtherighttochoosetheirownmarriage,soastogetridoftheoldideathatmenaresuperiortowomeninancienttimes.InTheDifferencesbetweenEasternandWesternContemporaryViewsonLoveandMarriage,ZhangXiaxia(2014)explainedthereasonsfromtheaspectsofthevirgincomplex,theroleofchildreninthefamilyandtheattitudetowardshomosexuality,andconcludedthatthereasonsforthedifferencesweredecidedbyvariousfactors,includingculturaldifferences,economicstrengthofbothsidesandeducationalsystem.In1987,LiuYingandXueSuzhen(1987)definedmarriageintheirstudyasasocialrelationshipcharacterizedbytheunionofthesexes,aswellasaprerequisitefortheestablishmentofthefamily,embodiedindifferentstagesofhumanhistory,andbasedondifferentfoundations.Inaddition,therearealsomanyresearchersdoingsomeresearchonthecontemporaryChinesemarriagefamilystatus,andcontemporaryChineseyoungpeople’sviewsonmarriage.Theresearchers,WuJingandWeiLiang(2008)pointedoutthatyoungpeopleinChinahaveaviewofmarriageasfollows:theywereenthusiasticabouttheobjectiveofmarriage,butinthefamilymarriagelife,theyonlyaskedformorethantheygive.Althoughmaterialconditionswerethebasisofmarriage,theyshouldnotbethedefiningattributeofmarriage.Intoday’ssociety,ontheonehand,themajorityofthepopulationadvocatetheconceptoflovefirst,butinthefaceoflove,peoplechoosetoputthematerialfoundationinthefirstplace.Ithasbecomeauniversalphenomenoninmodernworldthatwecanabandonlovebecauseofbread.AbroadstudyofmarriagecanbetracedbacktotheearliestrelevantchaptersintheBible,thatgodsetupmarriageinordertohaveapartner,andthenmarried,finallytobreed,theideaissimilarwiththeancientChineseConfucianmarriage,but,incontrast,itismoredemocraticandfreeinthewest.Fromthe18thtothe19thcentury,itwasamalecenteredsociety,inwhichwomenhadlowstatusandnoinheritedpropertyrights.Thecenteroftheirlifewasthefamily.Therefore,theonlyshortcutforwomentosurvivewastogetmarriedandobtainthesafeguardoflife.InPrideandPrejudice,famousBritishnovelistJaneAustenpointedoutthatthesocialmoneyinsteadoflovewasadecisivefactorinthemarriage.Shethoughtthatthemarriageviewwhichonlyvaluesmaterialthingswaswrongandstupid.Aperfectmarriageshouldhavebothmaterialandlove.Suchamarriageishappy.Thiskindofideaofmodernmarriagestillhasgreatrealisticsignificance.ThenHarris(1912)studiedthefactorsthatinfluencemarriageintheUnitedStatesandconcludedthatphysicalcharacteristicssuchashealth,longevityandagecaninfluencemarriage.Inaddition,Hollingshead(1950)studiedtheculturalfactorsonthemarriagepartnerselection,inwhichthesefactorssuchasreligiousbeliefsandsubculture,andsocialstatuswoulddeterminetheroleofapersoninthemarriageatthattime.IntheirtranslationofChangingFamilyCross-CulturalPerspective,SongJianandLiRu(1998)putforwardthatHerteldosomeresearchaboutmarriagechangesintheprocessofsocialchangeanditalsohascertainreferencesignificancetoourcountry.However,foreignstudiesonmarriagewillberathermixed.Firstofall,theydidnotanalyzethecontemporaryviewofmarriagethroughthetraditionalviewofmarriage.Secondly,withoutthewesternspiritualpillarBibleasthesourceoftheory,itwouldseemempty.Therefore,especiallyfortheAmericanswhoaredeeplyinfluencedbytheBible,itneedstocombinetheknowledgeoftheBibletounderstandtheconceptofAmericanmarriage.ThefilmXiYanwasshotbydirectorAngLeein1993,thismoviedescribesthestoryofChinesepeopledealingwithmaritalproblemswithauniqueviewofmarriage.Atpresent,thestudyofXiYanisbecomingmoreandmorepopular.Bothdomesticandforeignscholars’viewpointsandideashavecertainsignificanceforthestudyofcontemporaryChineseandAmericanMarriageViews.IntranslationofUnderstandingAngLee,HuangXingwen(2012)describesAngLee’sexperience,backgroundandmainfilms,andanalyzesAngLee’sviewsontraditionalChineseculture,includingglobalization,homosexualityandmarriage.Tosomeextent,thedomesticresearchonXiYanalsoisabundant.ThescholarsmostlystudyXiYanfromthefollowingtwoperspectives.Thefirstaspectisthestudyofhomosexualityinmarriageview,whichisalsothehottesttopicamongscholars.InTheCulturalDifferencesofLoveandMarriagebetweenChinaandtheWestfromtheMovieXiYan,BaiJing(2017)analyzesthedifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternloveandmarriagecultureinsexualcultureandattitudestowardshomosexuality.ShepointsoutthathomosexualityisnotrecognizedinChinesemarriageview,foropenAmericansociety,thedifferentsexualorientationofhomosexualityismoreacceptable.InTheCollisionandIntegrationofChineseandWesternCulturesfromtheMovieXiYan,XinYan(2013)exploresthatChinesepeopledealwithhomosexualitywithuniqueethicalconceptsfromthethreeaspectsofculture,culturecollisionandculturalblending.ThesecondaspectofstudyingXiYanistointerpretAngLee’sfilmsfromtheperspectiveofculturaldifferencesbetweenChinaandtheWest.ThesescholarsbelievethatthedirectorAngLeecangrasptheessenceoftheculturaldifferencesbetweenChinaandthewestandfindsolutions,OntheDifferencesBetweenChineseandWesternCulturesinXiYan,HouWenjing(2014)pointsoutthedifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternculturesinfilialpiety,familyvalues,faceproblemsandmarriage.Throughcomparativeanalysisofthedifferencesbetweenthem,wecanexploresuitablewaysofculturalexchange,soastoachievethegoalofculturalexchangesbetweenChinaandwesterncountries.1.3AnOverviewofThisThesisThispaperisdividedintofourparts.ThefirstpartistointroducetherelevantinformationofAngLee,thefilmXiYananditsstatus.ThesecondpartdiscussesdifferentviewsonmarriagereflectedinthefilmbetweenChinaandtheUnitedStates.ThefirstsectionelaboratesonthedifferencesbetweenChineseandAmericanviewsonmarriageintermsofstandardofchoosingaspouse,thesecondsectiondiscussesthedifferencesofmarriagepurposes,andthethirdsectiondiscussesthedifferencesofweddingritual.ThethirdpartsummarizesthereasonsforthedifferencesbetweenChineseandAmericanviewsonmarriage,whichismainlyinfluencedbysocialenvironmentandreligiousfaith.Thefourthpartisthesummarypart,whichmainlysummarizestheresearchresultsandmeanings.2.DifferencesofViewofMarriageBetweenChinaandAmericainXiYan2.1DifferencesofStandardofChoosingaSpouseAtthefirstplace,thedifferencesbetweenChineseandAmericanviewsofmarriagearereflectedinthechoiceofspouses.Morethantwothousandyearsoffeudalhistorymakesthefeudaltraditionalmarriageconceptdeeplyrootedintheheartsofthepeople,themethodsofchoosingtheirmatesarewellreflected,and“the

order

of

parentsand

the

words

of

matchmaker’s”isawaytochooseaspousethathasbeeninheritedforalongtime.Thiswayemphasizesthatbothpartiesinamarriageshouldmatchtheirfamilies.Marriageisnolongeramatterofoneperson,butofonefamilyorevenoneclan.InXiYan,Weitong’sfathersawthefuturedaughter-in-lawGuWeiwei,andheaskedindetailaboutWeiwei’sparents’professionandfamilymembers.ItisobviousthatChinesepeoplewillinvoluntarilyregardtheidentityandstatusoftheotherpartyasaprerequisiteinchoosingaspouse,whichmeansthattheyregardmarriageasbusiness.However,afterthereformandopeningup,withthecontinuousdevelopmentofsocietyandthedeepeningofforeignexchange,therearealsosomechangesinthewayyoungpeoplechoosetheirspouse.Manypeoplechoosetheirspousethroughfreelove.However,ifthesonsareofmarriageableageandhavenotfoundapartner,parentswouldintroduceeachotheronablinddatetochoosetheidealpartner.Atthebeginningofthefilm,inordertochooseanidealmarriagepartnerforWeitong,hismotherintroduceahigher-endclubwhichisspecializedinblinddatetohim,andhismothersaid“thegirlsintheclubareexcellentinappearance,educationandtemperament”.Tosomeextent,althoughyoungpeoplehavetherighttochoosethemarriagepartner,however,itisstillundertheinfluenceoftraditionalminds,parentsstillneedtobeaskedfortheirconsentbeforeenteringthemarriagehall.Ifparentsarenotsatisfiedwiththeirchildren’schoiceformarriagepartners,theystillhavetherighttodenytheirchildren’smarriage.Thisreflectsthatalthoughwiththedevelopmentofsociety,parentsstillplayacrucialpartintheirchildren’schoiceofaspouse.Incontrast,Americanschoosetheirpartnersfreely,andwesterncultureismainlybasedonthecombinationofGreekcultureandHebrewculture,thusitdevelopsintothemodernethicsoffreelove.Americanspursueromanticism.Whenitcomestochoosingapartner,theyfocusonthecompatibilityofthetwoparties.Theybelieveinloveatfirstsight.Aslongastheymeetthelove,theywillbebravetopursueanddonotexcludehomosexuality.Inthefilm,bothSimonandGaoWeitongaregay.Simon,asanAmerican,feelsthatnothingelsemattersaslongasheiswithhislover.Americanpursueindividualism,theythinkthatmarriageisapersonalaffair,theresultofpersonalloveandself-rightchoice.Noonecaninterfere,noteventheirownparents.SoAmericanparentsrespectchildren’schoice,andgiveblessingstothem.GuiJiayun(2010)pointedoutthatintheeyesofAmericans,thecombinationofmarriagewasfree,andparentscouldnotinterferethemarriageoftheirchildren.Themarriageinwesterncountriesischosenaccordingtothetruefeelingsofthemarriedmanandwoman,whichshowsone’sfreewill.Menandwomenmeet,gettoknowabouteachother,andthenfallinlove,theyarewillingtohandovertheirowntoeachotherinthemutualcommitmentofmarriageunderthefamily.Whentheychooseapartnertomarry,theyfocusonaffectiononbothsides,notconsideranyfactors,suchasotherfamilyinterestsorfeelings.“Themostimportantcriteriaforawesternertochooseaspouseisthecompatibilitybetweentwopeople,whileotherfactorssuchasfamilybackgroundandeducationlevelsshouldnotbeconsidered”(郁龙余,1992:199).Theygetmarriedbecausetheyloveeachother,inthefilm,althoughSimoncouldnotmarryWeitong,healsowantedtostaywithhiminanycasejustbecauseoflove.2.2DifferencesofMarriagePurposeInthesecondplace,thedifferencesbetweenChineseandAmericanviewsonmarriagearereflectedinthepurposeofmarriage.Theso-calledpurposeofmarriageisthatbothmenandwomenwanttoachievecertainexpectedresultsthroughtheestablishmentofmarriage.ThemainintentionofChinesemarriageistocarryonthefamilyline.AccordingtotheBookofRites-MarriageRighteousness,“itistheharmonyofthetwosexes.It’suptotheancestraltempleanddowntothelatergenerations.”AlsoConfuciussaid,“inadaze,theoffspringofallages.”Theybelievethatnomatterhowmuchsuccessapersonhasmadeinhiscareer,itisthetraditionalcultureoftheChinesepeopletomarryandhavechildrentoensurethebloodofthefamily.Thatistosay,peopleshouldgetmarriedandhavechildrenwhentheyreachthemarriageableage,whichisactuallyconsistentwiththefilialpietyinChineseculture.TraditionalConfucianismregards“filialpiety”asthefoundationofhumanbeing’sstandingintheworld,and“therearethreethings,whichareunfilial,nooffspringisthebiggest”isenoughtoexplaintheimportanceofheirsinmarriage.ThepurposeofChinesetraditionalmarriageistomaketheindividualunitsofthesocietyconnectwitheachotherandexpandthekinshipalliance.Inthepast,marriagewasusedasatoolfortwofamiliestocombineineconomic,politicalorsocialrelations.Thetwosidesexpandthekinshipalliancebyunitingtheadvantagesofthetwofamilies,itsmainpurposeistoinheritthelineageofmalefamily,thatistosayweoftencalltobreed.Therefore,theultimateintentioninChinaistocarryonthefamilyline.AssoonasWeitong’sfathersawhisfuturedaughter-in-lawinthefilm,heobservedherandsaid,“Ok,wecanhaveababy.”WhiletheAmericansdepictedinthefilmbelievethattheultimategoalofmarriageisforbothpartiestobetogetherandliveabetterlife.SoAmericansgetmarriedfortheirownfeelings,nottokeeponthetradition.Theythinkthatonlythosewholoveeachothercancometogetherandgivebirthtothecrystallizationoflove.“AccordingtoLouisHarris,afamouspublicopinionexpertintheUnitedStates,83%ofAmericanmenandwomenthinkthatloveisthefirstandindispensabledrivingforceformenandwomentogetmarried.Morethan90%ofAmericansbelievethatthefirstconditionformaintainingahappymarriageislove”(蔡丹,2012(6):50).IntheviewsofAmerican,theythinkloveisthehigheststateofpersonalpursuitofhappiness,andpersonalhappinessishigherthaneverythingelse.Therefore,marriageisfreeintheireyesanditismadebylove.Therefore,westernersbelievethataslongastheyloveeachother,theycanlivetogethereveniftheyarenotregisteredinlegal.Sointheopenwesterncountries,iftwopeoplereallyloveeachother,theyaresupportedandencouragedbyotherseventheyarehomosexuality.InXiYan,althoughGaoWeitongandSimonareallhomosexuality,theystillhaveahappylifebecausethereislovebetweenthem.TheresearchbyKnox&Zusman(2002)showsthatamong83percentofunmarriedcollegestudentswhoareinlove,two-thirdsthinksloveisveryimportant.Loveisthebasisofahappymarriage.Withoutlove,theywouldnottakemarriageintoaccount.ItisobviousthatthepursuitoftrueloveisthemostvitalmarriageintentionformostAmerican.Insomesense,thepurposeforChinesepeopletomarryisthesakeofoffspring,whichisakindofresponsibility,whileAmericansarepurelypursuelove,whichisthepursuitofakindofpersonalright.2.3DifferencesofWeddingRitualInthethirdplace,thedifferencesbetweenChineseandAmericanviewsonmarriagecanbeshowninthedifferentweddingceremonies.Weddingplaysanimportantroleinmarriage,buttheweddingceremoniesinthetwocountriesarestillquitedifferent.TheheroGaoWeitongandGuWeiweiregisteredmarriageinthewitnessofthepriest,theyjustwanttohaveadinnertogethertocelebrateit.ButGaoWeitong’smothersaid,“inordertoarrangeagoodmarriageforyou,wehadreceivedmorethan30000cashgiftsinTaiwan,howcanIexplaintotheothersifyouareinthisattitude?”GaoWeitongreplied:“mymarriageisnottomakeexcusesforothers.”GaoWeitongandhismother’sdialoguereflectsthatthedifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternweddingareveryobvious,intheChinesepeople’ssubconsciousthatmarriageisalifelongevent,whichrequiresabigbanquet,invitingfriendsandrelativestocelebratethenewlywedstogether,andChinesepeoplepaymoreattentiontothefaceandface-workinthewedding.Forexample,“itisnecessarytopreparethefeast,”saidtherestaurantowner.GaoWeitong’sfatherandmotherhopetoprepareagrandweddingfortheirsontoinvitefriendsandrelativesgathered.Becausetheweddingbanquetisheldonbehalfofthesecularrecognitionofmarriage,butalsotoobservetherulesleftbytheancestorstoaccepttheblessingofeveryone,atthesametime,italsomeansthemarriagewillbehappy.SothefeatisveryimportantforChinesewedding.Besides,theChineseweddingceremonyisnumerous,thebrideandgroomhavetoperform“thricekneelingandninetimesbowing”ceremonyontheweddingday.Afterthebrideistakenhomebythegroom,theywouldperformtheformalweddingceremony.Atthispoint,threeritesareperformedtoexpressconsentofheavenandearth,ancestorsandparents,andthecouplehaveofficiallytiedtheknotas“husbandandwife”.Fromthefilm,wecanseeWeitong’sparentssittingonchairsandwaitingforofferingtea.Atthesametimeitnotonlyneedstostickahappycharacterandhaveawitnesstothemarriage,butalsotoacceptsomeweddingcustomsprogramswhichispreparedbysomefriendsorrelatives,suchasthebridalchamber,itcanbeseenthatChina’sweddingceremonyisabouttheformandgaud.Atthesametimeinordertoincreasethefestiveatmosphere,thewholeweddingprocessisinthesoundoffirecrackersandhappymusic.ComparedwiththecomplicatedceremonyandnumerousetiquetteofChinesewedding,westernweddingissimpleandshowspersonalwill.IntheAmericanwedding,themajorfeatureisromantic.Thebride’sdressiscommonlywhiteweddingdressandthegroomhasonablacksuit.Thecouplechooseaquietchurch,wheretheywouldberecognizedandblessedbygodundertheauspicesofthepriest,andwouldalwaysrememberthebestmomentsoftheirlives,theirweddingiswellorganized,andisfullofromanceandreality.It’snotaslivelyasourChinesewedding.Theyaresworninsolemnatmosphere.“Tohaveandtoholdfromthisdayforward,forbetter,forworse,forricher,forpoorer,insicknessandinhealth,toloveandtocherish,tilldeathdouspart”(胡琪,2017(06):110).Andthentheyexchangeringsandkisseachother,itmeansthatthisweddingreachesculmination.Aftertheceremony,whenthecouplewalkoutofthechurch,thechurchbellsringouttodriveawaybadthings,sothatthenewlywedscouldhavegoodluckalltheirlives.Thebrideandthegroombegintheirweddingjourney.3.ReasonsofDifferentViewofMarriageBetweenChinaandAmerica3.1DifferentReligiousFaith“Religionisaculturalelementinthewholesystemofhumanlife,whichiscloselyrelatedtosociallifeofhumanbeings,spiritualstructureandotherculturalelements.theyinfiltrateandinteractwitheachother”(别振宇,2009(4):42).Therefore,religiousbeliefalsohasasignificantimpactonthedifferentviewsonmarriagebetweenChinaandAmerica.ConfucianismhasbeenthedominantideologyinChina’stwo-thousand-yearhistoryoffeudalsociety,andithasbeenintegratedintothebloodoftheChinesepeopleforalongtime.ThebeliefofChinesepeopleisbasedonConfucianism.Therelationshipbetweenhusbandandwifeiscloselylinkedby“righteousness”,thatis,DongZhongshu,agreatscholarintheWesternHanDynasty,putforward“thethreecardinalprinciples”,namely,“thesubjectsshouldbesubjecttotheemperor,thechildrenshouldbesubjecttothefathers,thewivesshouldbesubjecttothehusbands”,thismakesclearthedominantpositionofthemonarch,thefatherandthehusband,andexertagreatinfluenceonthemarriageconceptofChina.Thethoughtof“benevolenceandfilialpiety”isthecoreofConfucianism,whichdeeplyinfluencestheChineseconceptofmarriage.Uptonow,theconceptofmarriagestillhasastrongtraditionalmeaning,nowadays,“theparentsarrangedfortheirchildren’smarriage”stillplaysanimportantroleinyoungpeople’smarriage.Inwesterncountries,duetothegreatinfluenceofreligion,Christianityisthereligionthatdeeplyaffectsallaspectsofpeople’slifeinthewest.InChristianity,marriageisagiftfromGodtohumanbeings.Atthesametime,marriagesymbolizestheloveandblessingofGod.ItisanimportantwayforpeopletothinkthegiftisfromGod.Itissacredandbeautiful.Becauseofthis,peopleusuallychoosechurchastheweddingplace,andtheirweddingceremonyshouldbecompletedbythepriestunderthewitnessofGod.Atthesametime,Christianityemphasizesdemocracyandfreedom,whichalsomakespeopleemphasizethenatureofhumanfreedom,andChristianityemphasizestheequality