Each nation has its own traditions of weddings. For a Russian person, some of them seem strange, others cause delight and admiration. In any case, the wedding is a special day, bright and happy holiday. Chinese weddings are one of the most spectacular in the world. The wedding includes many rituals, including the proposal, checking the young for compatibility by horoscope, matchmaking and engagement, choosing wedding dresses and the wedding ceremony itself.
Marriage Forms Accepted in China
Men and women over the age of 22 and 20, respectively, are eligible to marry in China. The law prohibits formalizing relationships between members of the same sex.
Today in China there are such forms of marriage:
- Traditional union, that is, the conclusion of a classic marriage between a man and a woman.
- Polygamy or polygamy. This type of marriage is quite rare in China. The state itself does not particularly approve of such a union, and the financial situation of the spouse should allow him to support several wives.
- Sororat, in which the husband simultaneously or after a while enters into marriage with several relatives of his wife. In this case, marriage with subsequent women can be carried out both during the life of the first spouse and after her death.
Rarely, but still found in China and polyandry (polyandry). Modern families have the right to live in a civil union.
In accordance with the Law of the Republic of China (PRC) "On Marriage" (adopted in 1980, amended in 2001), marriage in China is based on freedom of marriage, monogamy, and gender equality.
The main principles of family law in China are:
- protection of the rights and interests of women, children and the elderly;
- fertility planning;
- the prohibition of domestic violence and domestic abuse;
- the duty of each family member to maintain equal and civilized relations.
As for the second point, it is likely that already in 2021, the Chinese authorities will completely abolish the birth control. This is due, on the one hand, to the aging of the population, and on the other, to the significant predominance of the male population over the female population.
Features of the wedding ceremony in the PRC
The Chinese hold sacred traditions that have been established over the centuries, so wedding ceremonies in China are practically the same as they were many years ago. Watching a Chinese wedding go on is extremely interesting, as the process includes a number of fascinating and touching rituals.
Matchmaking and engagement ceremony
First, the parents of the bride and groom must exchange letters in which they are notified of the upcoming matchmaking and the wedding of their children.
One of the next stages of matchmaking is fortune telling by the card. The groom sends the bride's family a special note, which contains eight hieroglyphs of life: surname, year, month, day and hour of the man's birth. With the help of this data, fortune-telling is carried out on the compatibility of the young.
If the result of the fortune-telling is successful, the same information is sent to the groom's family from the bride. The happiest day for marriage is calculated based on the dates of birth of both participants.
In some cases, a matchmaker is sent to the bride's house on behalf of the groom's family. It is she who finds out and gives the man the name and date of birth of the girl.
If, according to the fortune-telling, the bride and groom are compatible, the families exchange gifts. The girl's family receives jewelry, money, sweets, wine. In response, clothes are sent to the groom's family as a gift.
Also, the bride's relatives send a dowry to the groom - items for decorating the room in which the celebration will take place.
Chinese wedding traditions stipulate that, along with gifts, young people exchange silver qiu and yong coins, confirming the consent of the parties to the wedding.
When the relatives of the bride and groom meet, a marriage contract is concluded, which indicates mutual guarantees for the young and the amount of the ransom.
How China prepares for the wedding
The main role in the preparation for the Chinese wedding belongs to the bride. After the matchmaking, the girl will have to follow these steps:
- Saying goodbye to loved ones is a touching ritual of mourning. It is assumed that after the wedding, the young wife will belong only to her husband, so she needs to mourn the loss of her family. To do this, the bride and her relatives go to a quiet, cozy place, where they can give free rein to feelings and remember the happy moments of life together.
- Complete the bathing ritual. This is a beautiful tradition, after which, according to legend, the bride must cleanse herself of evil spirits. The ritual is held on the eve of the wedding: the girl takes a bath with the addition of healing herbal decoctions and grapefruit juice.
- "Refresh" before the wedding. According to an old tradition, the bride must remove all hair from her face, that is, completely pluck out her eyebrows and eyelashes. Today this rite is outdated, but it is still carried out in families where they strictly follow ancient customs.
- Choose a wedding outfit. Traditionally, the national wedding dress in China should be red, which symbolizes love and happiness. Previously, the girl dressed up in a red silk robe depicting a dragon and a phoenix, decorated with beads, pearls and embroidery. A massive crown trimmed with feathers, pompoms and beads is another element of the bride's wedding dress. Today, Chinese girls wear more modern dresses for weddings, but they still tend to red.
In the old days, the Chinese bride and groom often saw each other only at the wedding. Parents were engaged in the selection of a spouse for the child. Often, the wedding contract took place even before the birth of the children.
Much has changed today, young people choose their own mate. But still, without parental consent and mutual exchange of gifts, weddings do not take place.
The actual wedding celebration
A wedding in China is an incredibly beautiful ritual. The wedding ceremony includes the following stages:
- Ransom. On the wedding day, the groom brings four gold coins wrapped in red cloth and other gifts to the bride's house. This is the ransom for which the girlfriends let the girl out of the house. In the bride's house, the future husband is given two chopsticks, which are a symbol of the early birth of heirs.
- Worship. Young people bow three times, kneeling. Bows are given to earth, sky, parents and old people, as well as to each other. The ritual is an oath of love and fidelity of the young.
- The union of the bowls. A beautiful tradition in which young people take a few sips of wine from bowls tied with a red ribbon, and then change glasses.
- Tea ceremony. Chinese wedding customs dictate compulsory tea drinking. The bride treats the groom's relatives with classic Chinese tea. After that, it is customary to give her money in a red envelope or pre-agreed things valuable for the future married life.
A Chinese wedding is accompanied by noise and fun. The bride arrives at the groom's house amid fireworks and cheers. Grain and rice are scattered in front of the girl - a symbol of fertility. Guests perform unicorn or lion dances.
When the bride enters the groom's house, she needs to step over the saddle, which in China means peace.
After the official part
A very important stage in a Chinese-style wedding is the banquet. The feast is held after the wedding.
At the celebration, a film about the young and a portfolio from a photo session, which was held 1.5-2 months before the wedding, is shown.At the entrance to the banquet hall, guests are greeted with a full-length photo of the bride and groom.
The menu is drawn up for a long time and is constantly being corrected. Food at a wedding should be tasty, expensive and gourmet.
Fish is a must. Instead of a cake, various fruits and sweets were usually put on the table as a snack.
During the feast, as a rule, it is not customary to arrange dances or noisy contests. Young people change their clothes several times to demonstrate traditional outfits.
If before the bride looked like a living statue at her own wedding - she was silent and did not eat anything, now she can also take an active part in the program.
During meals, it is customary to talk and congratulate the young. After the newlyweds have eaten, they go around all the tables at which guests sit, inviting them to drink wine or rice vodka. The banquet ends with the presentation of money and gifts to the young.
The Chinese wedding does not last long and, if desired, can be continued as an after party for the young couple and their friends.
Is it possible for a Chinese citizen to marry a foreigner
Love knows no boundaries, so marriages between representatives of different countries and nationalities are not uncommon. However, in modern states, specific requirements have been formed for the institution of marriage, in connection with which, in order to legalize an alliance with a foreigner, the following rules will have to be observed:
- reach the age of marriage (for example, you can marry a Chinese citizen no earlier than 20 years);
- prove voluntary marriage, the absence of selfish reasons and violence;
- undergo a medical examination.
It is necessary to confirm that the groom (bride) is not married to another person, and also has no mental disabilities.
If all the requirements are met, you can proceed with the preparation of a package of documents for a marriage with a foreigner.
What documents to prepare
If the marriage is concluded on the territory of the Russian Federation, then before submitting an application to the registry office, future newlyweds must prepare the following documents:
- the foreign groom prepares a foreign passport and a translation of the document into Russian certified by the consulate (or notary);
- both parties issue certificates that they are not married to other people;
- if necessary, you must take permission to conclude an alliance at the consulate;
- divorce or death certificate of the former spouse (wife) of the groom and the bride, if any;
- documents confirming the legality of a foreigner's residence on the territory of the Russian Federation;
- in some cases, you will have to issue a certificate of no criminal record;
- if the foreign groom has a child and he came to Russia with him, you must present documents for the child and the mother's permission to leave at the registry office;
- you will need a receipt for payment of the state duty.
Foreign certificates and documents are translated into Russian. If a marriage is planned to be concluded on the territory of another state, the list of documents will be approximately the same, only they will have to be translated into a foreign language and applied to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The main document for the registry office is an application for marriage registration. A sample can be found on the Internet or taken from the registry office.
How is the legalization of marriage in the CIS
Legalization of a marriage certificate is necessary for stamping a passport, changing a surname, registering joint children, and obtaining citizenship by one of the spouses.
If the marriage was concluded on the territory of the CIS, documents on registration of the union are recognized without any problems, that is, according to a simplified scheme. The technique involves affixing a special stamp - an apostille - on the marriage certificate.
It is more difficult to legalize a marriage on a general basis. To do this, you will need to provide the following documents to the Russian consulate located in the country of registration of relations:
- an application that can be taken from the consulate or printed;
- foreign and domestic passport;
- Marriage certificate;
- a receipt for payment of the state fee.
The specialist takes the documents for consideration and sets the date for the next visit. The procedure can take a long time. In addition, under certain circumstances, marriage legalization may be refused.
Divorce process in China
The elderly people in China are extremely unhappy with the fact that the divorce procedure in the country has been greatly simplified and takes 10-15 minutes, while not so long ago the divorce lasted at least a month and was difficult. These changes have led to an increase in divorce rates. Now there are more divorces in China than marriages.
The main reasons for divorce in China are:
- incompatibility of views and characters;
- sexual dissatisfaction of partners;
- quarrels in the process of running a common household, financial difficulties;
- adultery.
Modern Chinese are not trying to raise the marriage rate, overcome difficulties and stay together. It seems much easier for them to apply and quickly divorce.
Concluding a fictitious marriage in China
Fictitious marriages are contracted for a variety of reasons. The main ones are:
- material benefit of the parties;
- obtaining citizenship;
- a temporary residence permit or obtaining a residence permit;
- purchase of housing;
- inheritance.
Moreover, these reasons apply to almost all developed countries.
In China, the main reason for a fictitious marriage is the purchase of real estate. The fact is that only a person with a residence permit (hukou) can buy a house or apartment in this country. And for a migrant, the only way to become a homeowner is to marry the owner of a residence permit.
The country is already filled with wedding agents who not only register the marriage, but also find the right match for the client.
A fictitious marriage, or rather a divorce, is actively used by the indigenous Chinese, in particular, the inhabitants of Beijing. The temporary dissolution of the relationship makes it easier to buy a home and lowers mortgage rates.
Summarize
A Russian-Chinese wedding is truly a stunning sight. The unity of the traditions and customs of the two peoples makes the holiday unusual and spectacular; a wedding in China promises unforgettable emotions for Russians.
According to statistics, the marriage of a Chinese with a Russian woman lasts longer than an alliance with a Chinese woman. The difference in nations and customs brings partners closer and makes them interesting to each other. The main difficulty in such relations, the parties call the study of a foreign language.
Bureaucratic difficulties are only a temporary stage. You can issue documents without obstacles if you follow the law and do everything on time.
