Chinese Calligraphy or Chinese Weddings Term Paper

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Chinese Weddings

Ancient Chinese weddings began with elaborate preparation, including the proposal and acceptance. However, the wedding itself was rather simple, and generally comprised of the bride and groom paying homage to Heaven and Earth, the family ancestors and the Kitchen God, Tsao-Chun, at the family altar, after which they drank tea offered by the groom's parents, and then bowed to each other (Chinese pp). This completed the marriage ceremony. Although the marriage ceremony itself was simply, there were numerous customs that were required both before and after, many of which are still observed today.

Today, many Chinese-Americans choose to combine their traditional culture with modern Western traditions. Traditionally, the color red is the symbol of happiness and joy, and is used throughout Chinese celebrations, including weddings (Traditions pp). The wedding invitations and reception menus are a deep red with black or gold calligraphy, and the guest book is always made of red silk with embroidered edges (Traditions pp). Guests sign the cloth with a black pen and then the book is folded and stored as a wedding day keepsake (Traditions pp).

The Chinese character for happiness, hsi or xi, is an important part of Chinese weddings and is generally displayed at the reception or banquet (Traditions pp). The double happiness sign, Shuang Xi, combines two individual characters to represent double happiness and signifies good fortune and ensures a happy future for the newlyweds (Traditions pp). Dragon and Phoenix designs are also popular decorations since they symbolize male and female harmony and a balanced relationship (Traditions pp).

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Rooted in mythology, "the dragon symbolizes the Emperor and at his side stands the magically powerful phoenix with her life-giving song" (Traditions pp).

Drinking tea is an integral part of Chinese weddings much like toasting champagne is in Western tradition (Traditions pp). The tea ceremony performed by the bride and groom is a custom of paying respect to their families, as the couple serves tea to their parents and grandparents from a traditional tea pot (Traditions pp). The bride's parents are served first, beginning with the mother, then the groom's family (Traditions pp). The type of tea served is left to the discretion of personal taste, although black dragon, orange blossom, and classic green tea are the preferred choices (Traditions pp).

Traditional wedding dress attire includes the beautiful brocade Qi Pau, Chinese jacket, and….....

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