AComparisonoftheWeddingCeremonyBetweenChinaandWesternCountriesinModernTimes.docx

AComparisonoftheWeddingCeremonyBetweenChinaandWesternCountriesinModernTimes.docx

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AComparisonoftheWeddingCeremonyBetweenChinaandWesternCountriesinModernTimes

AComparisonoftheWeddingCeremony

BetweenChinaandWesternCountriesinModernTimes

1.Introduction

1.1AGeneralIntroductionoftheChineseandWesternweddingCulture’sResearch

The21stcenturyisdominatedbyscienceandtechnology,whichmakesthewholeworlddevelopquiterapidly.Withtheconstantlyincreasingeconomicglobalizationandinternationalexchange,theculturesofdifferentregionsaregraduallyspreadandfused,suchastheweddingcustomsofChinaandWesternCountries.

HoldingaweddingisregardedasaverysolemnceremonyeitherinChinaorinwestern.However,therearealsoalotofdifferencesbetweenChineseandWesternweddingcultures.

ChineseweddinghasmanystepsandtheprocedureismuchmorecomplexthanWesternwedding,especiallyintheweddingceremony.IntheChinesetraditionalweddingcustoms,peoplestressmoreandtheyhavemanytaboos,forChinesepeoplearemoreconservativeandtraditional,buttheopen-mindedWesternpeople’sweddingismuchsimpler. 

Atthesametime,theirdifferentsocialsystemanddifferentattitudestomarriageinfluencetheirweddingcustomsmuch,too.

ThisthesisaddressesthedifferencesbetweenChineseandWesternweddingcultures.ItisextremelyimportanttounderstandthedifferentculturesbetweenChinaandWesterncountries,whichwillhelpustocorrectlyunderstandthewordsanddeedsofWesternersintheinterculturalcommunication,fullyunderstandeachother,andrespecteachother'scustomssoastogetthebesteffectofcommunication.

1.2TheWesternTheoriesoftheReasonsoftheDifferencesbetweenWestandEastCultures

First,atfirsthalfof20thcentury,GermanrenownedphilosopherKarlJaspersproposedaveryimportantconceptofculturalscienceinTheOriginandGoalofHistory,whichhadofferedtheconceptof“AxialAge”.Hethoughtafterhavingexperienced“AxialAge”,ChinaandtheWestcultureturnstowardtwocompletelydifferentdirections.ThiscausedChinaandtheWesttobeverygreatlydifferentintheculturaldomain.

Second,astotheWesternculturetheory,thereistheindividualprincipleandthecollectivismtheory.SuchasHofstede'sculturalvaluedimensiontheory,KluckhohnandtheStrodtbeck'svaluesorientationtheoryaswellastheParsonspatternvariabletheory.

ThirdistheTrans-Culturehumanrelationstheory.ThecommunicationmasterWBanay,W.BarnettPearceandVernonCronesputforwardthistheory.Theythoughtthatthehumanrelationsprocessreceivesrestrictionandtheinstruction;therefore,therulehastheimportantstatusinthistheory.

Fourth,Trans-CulturehumanrelationsscholarDoddgivesmoresystematicandtheconvincingexplorationregardingtheTrans-CulturemarriageastheTrans-Culturehumanrelations'breach,andherealizedthatintheTrans-Culturemarriageexiststheculturalrelatedphenomenonandtheroleitplayed.

1.3TheChineseTheoriesoftheReasons

AndastoChineseresearchers’studies,first,intheChinesecharacter,theanimalbonesandtortoiseshellshastheinscriptionof“theculture”.Theoriginalmeaningof“culture”isthepatternorthetexture.

Second,inancienttimes,theSongbrightNeo-Confucianismemphasizedthethreecardinalethicalrelationshipsofthesocialorderandthefiveconstantvirtuesandthreerulesunderstandingculturaldifferencesmustbeobeyedandthefourfemininevirtues,whichwereusedtoensurethepatriarchalfamilystable,andtomaintainfather-right.

Third,LiYiisthefirstbookthatrecordedweddingculturesinChina.Itsaid“Sixetiquettesconcluderequestingformarryingthebride,requestingforbrideandgroom’sbirthdates,givinginitialgiftsforthebride’sfamily,givingformalgiftsforthebride’sfamily,selectingtheweddingdateandholdingweddingceremony.”

1.4TheImportanceofUnderstandingCulturalDifferences

Understandingculturaldifferencesisveryimportant.SincethereissuchabigdifferencebetweenEasternandWesterncultures,understandingculturaldifferencesbetweenChinaandWestcountrieswillhelpfostercross-culturalcommunicativecompetenceandthenbetterservethespreadofEnglish,widecommunicationandimproveteachingservices.Butthisisnotasimplematter,manyChinesepeoplewhoknowabouttheWestaspartofetiquettehavebasicallyanoverviewofteachersfromtheclassroom,butitisfarfromenough.Andwhatismore,theteachingofEnglishinuniversitiesareplacedemphasisonimpartingknowledgeofthelanguageattheexpenseofcross-culturalcommunicationabilities.Therefore,toexplorethebasisofculturaldifferencesisgoodfortheeliminationofexistingbarriersincross-culturalcommunicationandwecantakemeasurestoreducetheinclination.

2.TheDiscussionaboutChineseandWesternDifferentWeddingCultures

2.1Custom

2.1.1ThreePapersandSixEtiquettes

AccordingtoChineseweddingcustoms,thefirstetiquetteisThreePapersandSixEtiquettes,whichisasimportantastheengagementatWesternwedding. 

ThreePapersconsistsofthepaperofengagement,thelistpaperofthepresentstothebride’sandthepaperoffetchingthebride.Theyaregoingtobeusedonthedayofengagement,thebridegroom’sgivingthepresentsofmarriagetothebride’sandgoingandfetchingthebride.

SixEtiquettesincludesaskingforengagement,askingforthenameandbirthsofthenewlyweds,showingsomepresentsforengagementtothebride’s,givingthepresentsofmarriagetothebride’s,choosingagooddatefortheweddingandgoingandfetchingthebrideonthedayofthewedding.Alltheseetiquettesmustbecompletelyinproperorderbeforethewedding,andthentheformalweddingcanbeheld. 

2.1.2Engagement

InWesterncountries,peoplealwaysengagefirstandthentheycanholdtheformalwedding.Manyetiquettesandsymbolsneedpayingmuchattentionto,especiallythediamondringattheengagementceremony.Diamondisconsideredasthebestsymboloflove,butwhy?

Thediamondisproducedbyheatenergyandpress,whichmakesitthehardestmaterialdiscoveredbyhumanbeingssofar.Inancienttimes,humanbeingscouldn’tcutdiamondfortheydidn’thavesuchtoolsandskills.Sothediamondnaturallybecamethesymbolofforeverlove,atthesametimetheheatenergythatgestatesthediamondmeansthepassionatelove.Thus,thebridegroommustsendadiamondringtohisbridetoshowhispromiseofforeverunchangedloveattheirengagementceremony.

2.1.3OtherEtiquettesandCustoms

EtiquettesandCustomsattheChineseWedding

InChina,theparentsalwayspreparesomedowryfortheirdaughter.Thebride’sdowryincludesascissor,aruler,somesugartablets,vases,acopperpotandapairofshoes,whichindicatefortune.Therearealsopairsofquilts,bedlinenandpillows,72setsofclothesandsoon,whichmeansagoodwishfortheirrichandnicelife.Everyitemhasitsdifferentmeanings.

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

EtiquettesandCustomsattheWesternWedding

“SomethingOld,SomethingNew,SomethingBorrowed,SomethingBlue,andaSilverSixpenceinHerShoe”.

Eachiteminthispoemrepresentsagood-lucktakenforthebride.Ifshecarriesallofthemonherweddingday,hermarriagewillbehappy. "Somethingold"symbolizescontinuitywiththebride'sfamilyandthepast. "Somethingnew"meansoptimismandhopeforthebride'snewlifeahead. "Somethingborrowed"isusuallyanitemfromahappilymarriedfriendorfamilymember,whosegoodfortuneinmarriageissupposedtocarryovertothenewbride.Theborroweditemalsoremindsthebridethatshecandependonherfriendsandfamily.

Asforthecolorfulitem,bluehasbeenconnectedtoWesternweddingsforcenturies.InancientRome,bridesworebluetosymbolizelove,modesty,andfidelity.ChristianityhaslongdressedtheVirginMaryinblue,sopuritywasassociatedwiththecolor.Beforethelate19thcentury,bluewasapopularcolorforweddinggowns,asevidencedinproverbslike, "Marryinblue,loverbetrue".

Andfinally,asilversixpenceinthebride'sshoerepresentswealthandfinancialsecurity.AsixpenceisacointhatwasmintedinBritainfrom1551to1967.Itwasmadeofsilverandworthsixpennies.SothisweddingtraditionisdefinitelyEnglish,andmanysourcessaythatitbeganintheVictorianera.ItmaydatebacktoaScottishcustomsofagroomputtingasilvercoinunderhisfootforgoodluck.Foroptimumfortune,thesixpenceshouldbeintheleftshoe.Thesedays,adimeoracopperpennyissometimessubstituted,andmanycompaniessellkeepsakesixpencesforweddings.

2.1.4Taboos

TaboosattheChineseWedding

Onthedayofthewedding,peoplecan’tsaybadwords.Peoplesayitwillbringsomethingbadiftheydon’tfollowthecustoms.Everythingpreparedfortheweddingmustbeinpairs,suchasthecandleetc. 

Whenthebridearrivesatthebridegroom’s,shecan’ttouchthethresholdwhenshegoesacross,orshewillbringbadluck. 

Thepregnantwomenandthewomenwholoseap