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Different practices in the wedding ceremony of China and western cultures
Analysis on the different wedding customs between china and america
Short paragraph on chinese wedding
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Weddings
Flowers, diamond rings, and vowels: all these things are vital when it comes to the traditional American wedding. Because they all symbolize the emotion of love, which American marriages are based on. However in China where love is not the basis of marriage such symbolizations don't exist and this can be seen in a traditional Chinese wedding.
The differences between Chinese and American weddings are very great. For example, in America we are free to date and choose whom we want to marry based on our standings. But in China there is no dating, marriages are arranged by matchmakers in which paid to match a bride with a groom. It is after the match has been made that the two (male and female) become officially betrothed. Betrothed means to engage in marriage.
An article on the Chinese Wedding website said pregnant mothers would often make promises that when their babies were born, if they were both boys or girls, they would become brothers or sisters but if one was a boy and the other a girl, they would get married. According to the book Strange Customs Courtship and Marriage there are two different type of betrothal. The first type, which is mentioned above, involves the arranging of marriage at infancy or before birth, among boys and girls of the same age. The second practice is to betroth female infants to grown men who may be old enough to be their father, or even their grand father . Unlike China where age obviously is not a factor, in America such practice would be considered a crime.
Chinese and American weddings also different in the number of ceremonies they hold. For instance, in America there is one wedding ceremony and a banquet but in China as part of the betrothal there are five ceremonies. The first ceremony includes the exchanging of information about the birth of both children (son and daughter) between families. An astrologer is now consulted to see if compatibility exists between the two and if so the second ceremony begins.
Nuer and American wedding’s result in the two extended families coming together and unite as one (Holtzman: 2008, 73). Nuer families are involved in the involvement of payment of bridewealth cattle, usually getting between 25 to 40 animals, from the family of the groom to the family of the bride (Holtzman: 2008, 73). The purpose of the bridewealth cattle was to connect her father from her groom’s father and to make children from the marriage. In America, traditionally, the bride and the groom often get gifts from all family members, but they would not get animals. They usually receive currency or household materials. Nuer weddings are not arranged like traditional Nuer marriages. Many of the times, the couple are usually friends or lovers before marriage (Holtzman: 2008, 74) which is similar to American culture.
Lisa Ling’s study showed that over ¼ of babies adopted and brought to the United States are from China. Most of these babies are girls. Due to the one child policy to control population, these unwanted girls are aborted, abandoned or hidden. They might even get killed. Boys are preferred because they will carry on the family name and they will stick with the family to care for them as they get older. These girls have never known a father. They have never known a mother, and they never knew a big sister. Most of them will be adopted from families in the United States. Others will stay in an orphanage until they are old enough to be on their own. China is one of the world’s oldest civilizations with over 4,000 years of history and culture. Today,
both of the bride and groom officially marry. In the American ceremony both groom and
Firstly, the relationship expectations in Chinese customs and traditions were strongly held onto. The daughters of the Chinese family were considered as a shame for the family. The sons of the family were given more honour than the daughters. In addition, some daughters were even discriminated. “If you want a place in this world ... do not be born as a girl child” (Choy 27). The girls from the Chinese family were considered useless. They were always looked down upon in a family; they felt as if the girls cannot provide a family with wealth. Chinese society is throwing away its little girls at an astounding rate. For every 100 girls registered at birth, there are 118 little boys in other words, nearly one seventh of Chinese girl babies are going missing (Baldwin 40). The parents from Chinese family had a preference for boys as they thought; boys could work and provide the family income. Due to Chinese culture preference to having boys, girls often did not have the right to live. In the Chinese ethnicity, the family always obeyed the elder’s decision. When the family was trying to adapt to the new country and they were tryin...
In the beginning of the story, the author describes the Chin Yuen's as American in appearance yet Chinese in customs. Throughout the story she continues to describe the deterioration of the Chinese customs by American ideal. This is pinpointed when Mr. Chin Yuen decides to let his daughter marry the boy that she loves. The conversation that Mr. Spring Fragrance has with Young Carman explains that only in American culture is it customary to find love before marriage; in the Chinese tradition, all marriages are arranged. This clearly exemplifies the manner in which the Chinese characters are more and more disregarding their Chinese culture and taking on this new American standard of living. Ironically, Sui Sin Far conveys the notion that the American tradition is not necessarily better than the Chinese tradition. More so she demonstrates the struggle of identity between two worlds that both make sense. Though Laura and Kai Tzu have found their happiness in the American tradition of marriage, the reader discovers that Mr. and Mrs. Spring Fragrance are equally as happy even through the Chinese tradition of marriage.
Chinese-Americans authors Amy Tan and Gish Jen have both grappled with the idea of mixed identity in America. For them, a generational problem develops over time, and cultural displacement occurs as family lines expand. While this is not the problem in and of itself, indeed, it is natural for current culture to gain foothold over distant culture, it serves as the backdrop for the disorientation that occurs between generations. In their novels, Tan and Jen pinpoint the cause of this unbalance in the active dismissal of Chinese mothers by their Chinese-American children.
A wedding is a great social event in our society, which establishes a new bond between two individuals and families. Marriage is a joyful occasion with plenty of music, dance, partying and merrymaking. It also brings together long-lost friends, relatives and acquaintances. In India, the parents choose the mate for their child, which is called an arranged marriage. In most cases, the bride and groom do not even talk to each other until after they are married.
In tradition Chinese culture the bride must be covered by a veil and the groom
Marriage in the Victorian time period was carefully contemplated, as Rosenberg addresses that “Wedding ceremonies were seen as an expression of Victorian social values that that the Queen wished to renounce, while on the other hand, such occasions were viewed as having national and collective significance” (Rosenberg 98). Love played a very tiny role in the Victorian Era marriages. An engagement was more approached as a business deal. Once married all possessions went to the husband as property. Anatolyevna emphasizes how “Victorian weddings should be transformed from a formalized procedure to a celebration, a holiday for a young couple in honor of their initiation” (Anatolyevna 1) The Marriage and Wedding Customs of the Victorian time period are interesting because they are religious, strict, unique, and elegant. First of all, the Victorian time period wedding mores were intriguing because of their strong connection to religion. Terpening explains that “in the sense that marriage is an act through hardship and trial, people who led Christian lives were rewarded by enjoying years with their spouse” (Terpening 22). Even though in the Victorian time period their marriages were arranged, if you and your spouse had the same religions beliefs your marriage will be strong and last longer than other couples. People during the Victorian time believed that if you didn’t practice the same beliefs of your partner your marriage would fall apart or be in great bitterness. Religion played a big role in the Victorian wedding ethnicities but the harsh laws of marriage were a huge part for weddings during this time period. Next, the Victorian time period Wedding traditions were remarkable because of the firm traditions. Author Kat Stromquist ment...
Given the high sex ratio in recent China population report, the abnormally excessive male birth exemplifies the persistence of son preference on women’s fertility behavior. Son preference rooted in Chinese agriculture-based economy and historical feudalism, in consistence with the reliance on laborers and continuing the family line. Older people prefer to depend on their sons to get financial and physical support, while daughters are regarded as property of their husband’s family since the day of marriage.
A traditional white gown/ ball dress is worn by the bride. She usually has a vial and carries a bouquet of flowers in her hand.
Comparison of American and Chinese Cultures Cultural differences are apparent from one group of people to another. Culture is based on many things that are passed on from one generation to the next. Most of the time, people take for granted their language, beliefs, and values. When it comes to the cultural differences of people, there is no right or wrong. People should be aware of others culture and respect the differences that exist between them.
Sometimes we forget that China is similar in size to Europe, therefore customs vary tremendously depending on the region. Due to the fact that China has one of the oldest cultures in existence, the traditions keep growing over time.
One of the more interesting marriage practices to me is the ones that are done by the Na and Nayar cultures. And technically, they are not marriages because they are the exception to the whole arranged marriage concept. In China, arranged marriages are somewhat common but in the southwest region the Na are a group of people that do
All those people of Vietnam and America celebrate their wedding events, but the way celebrations are differences include in planning, dresses, and observances besides the similarities in those areas.