China's Dagur Minority - Sino-Platonic Papers

(banquet). Two tables were placed on the east, west, and north kangs of the westroom. The bride's relatives were seated in the following order: homYo on the southkang, huad on the west kang, and cart drivers on the north kang. People were seatedfrom left to right at the tables in order of generation and age. Those of the groom'smokon sat on the kang edge. The darire (table of most importance--senior's table)was served with waaq (pig back and side meat), and the jieeqxiree and gutamiree(tables of second and third importance) were served with &la (pig backbone). Whenthe banquet began, guests invited by the groom to help entertain honored guestsoffered a toast, expressing a warm welcome to the guests and best wishes forhappiness to the newlyweds:Hoh and huad, may I please have your attention,i%is couple is joined in wedlock through matchmaking,Family fiendship established by representatives,From the time of our ancestors,Doors of the homes have been open to each other,Having emerged through wasteland afer years of walking,And breaking through piles of snow,The path has joined the tw different farmarm& names.And the two families will live harmoniously hereafer.We have a boy with a bow.You have a girl with arrows,At this wedding banquet,I offer this toast.We have chosen this auspicious day,And laid these tables,The meat we have,Is from fat pigs raised with ow own hands,Their mouth fat is two fingers thick;The full jar of Barhu liquor is homemade.Respectable hodwo and huad:Forgive us for our humble banquet preparation,I invite you to enjoy the fragrant liquor and delicious food.With this arrow in hand,I wish you, the new couple,In your funcre common life to show filial obedience to elders.And genuine love for our younger generationeYou should be as neat as arrow ends,As forthright as shaft feathers,As straight as arrow shafts,As close to each other as millstones,As strong-willed as iron and steel.Knives will never sever your tie,Axes will never hack it apart.The places you walk by will be illuminated,The things you do will be stainless,Free from discussion and blame.You will have one daughter whose marnoage you will arrange,You will have seven sons.ntey will take this bow and these arrows to hunt.They will shoot wild boars on the mountuin's sunny side,