CTB Chinese Weddings in Malaysia

CHINESE WEDDINGS
I N M A L A Y S I A

Contents
3 Introduction
6 Wedding Preparations
11 The Day of Wedding
26 Wedding Banquet
20
INTRODUCTION
24
8
12
28
29
Conclusion
References
16
CONTENTS

0 1
INTRODUCTION

Traditionally, the bride wore a red dress
and a red veil to cover up her face on the
wedding day. Red is an important colour
in Chinese weddings as it symbolises
good luck, happiness and prosperity.
The Origin
of Chinese
weddings
The first met of the couple would usually
be on their wedding day when the groom
came to pick up the bride as they
practiced arranged marriages.
After the bride arrived at the groom's
house and participated the wedding
ceremony, she would sat in the
bedroom while the groom celebrated
their union with family and friends.
After all the guests had left, the groom
would unveil his bride and started their
new life.

Evolution
of Chinese
Weddings
in Malaysia
On the wedding day, the bride wears a
white bridal gown, whereas the groom
wears tuxedo. The groom will decorate
the bridal car, pick up the bride from her
parents house and drive her back to his
parents house to welcome her to the
family. Lastly, they will attend the
wedding ceremony together in a hotel.
Despite some of the traditional customs
such as the dominant use of red in the
weddings are still practiced today,
Chinese weddings in Malaysia are much
more influenced by the west.
Hence, this coffee table book will talk
about how Chinese weddings are being
carried out in Malaysia nowadays.

0 2
WEDDING
PREPARATIONS

I.
Double Happiness Symbol in
Wedding Preparations ( 双 喜 )
It is the most important traditional
symbol in Chinese weddings. It is the
duplication of the happiness
( 喜 )
in
Chinese character and it signifies the
couple in joy.

II.
Setting Up The
Bridal Bed
( 安 床 )
An auspicious date and a
"good luck woman or man"
(who is having a lot of
children) is chosen to install
the bridal bed. The bed will
be scattered with red dates,
longan , peanuts and lotus
seed.

Send the gifts to the bride's family The gifts The gifts
III.
Betrothal Ceremony ( 过 大 礼 )
This day serves as a formal meeting day between the couple's parents before
the actual wedding day. The groom's family will send the gifts as requested by
the bride's family such as wedding cakes, fruits and jewelleries. The gifts will
come in pairs or even number as the Chinese saying "good things double" goes.

Mandarin oranges
Perform ceremonial
prayers as instructed
Perform ceremonial prayers
to heaven, earth and ancestors
After that, the bride's family will give out the wedding cakes together with
the invitation cards to their relatives to announce the wedding. Mandarin
oranges are mandatory in the ceremony as they symbolise good luck. The
couple will be instructed to perform ceremonial prayers to heaven, earth and
the ancestors.

0 3
THE DAY OF
WEDDING

I.
Hair Combing Ceremony
( 上 头 )
At the dawn of the wedding day, the
bride will have her hair combed in
the style of a married woman.The
act of combing is important as it
symbolises a long and lasting
marriage.

Qún guà ( 裙 褂 )
A traditional Chinese
wedding dress which is
embroidered with a
dragon and phoenix
pattern. It symbolises
luck, happiness and
bountiful blessings.
Nowadays, many Malaysian
Chinese brides are following the
Western tradition of wearing
white. However, some of them
still choose to wear Qún guà
because of its aesthetic look.

II.
Crowning of
The Groom

Traditionally, the groom
will be wearing a red long
gown, red shoes and red
silk sash with a silk ball
on his shoulder on the
day of marriage.
However, it becomes
uncommon to see the
groom wearing all red. In
modern days, the groom
will wear a formal
western attire instead.

III.
Arrival at The Bride's
House
A decorated bridal car is prepared
by the groom to pick up the bride.
Unlike old days, a bridal carriage
is used instead of a modern car.
Bridal car
A male child in the bride's family is
assigned to open the door for the
groom to come down.
In return, the groom has to
provide Li Shi money (usually in
red packets form) to the child.
The child opens the door of the bridal car

IV.
Chinese Bridal Door
Game
The groom has to win a series of
games such as dancing and giving a
pledge of love in a funny way which
are set up by the bridesmaids.
Game: Dancing
This act symbolises the bride's
importance towards her family
and friends as they do not want
her to be married away so soon.
Game: Giving a pledge of love

V.
The Marriage
Proposal

It is never easy to get a bride!
The groom officially
proposes a marriage
to the bride after all
the challenges.

VI.
Tea Ceremony at
The Bride's House
The couple is serving tea to the bride's parents.
The ceremony is an official
ritual to show respect to
the bride's parents. The
couple are then showered
with gifts, usually red
packets or jewelleries.
The bride receives a gold bracelet from her parents.

HEIMAN TRAVEL GROUP
VII.
Arrival at The
Groom's House
Similar to the ritual which is
being held on the arrival at the
bride's house, a male child is
assigned to open the door. This
time around, the child will give
the couple two oranges to
Where to next?
symbolise luck. In return, the
child will receive Li Shi money
from the couple.

VIII.
Ya Chuang ( 压 床 )
Little children will be invited
to jump and roll on the bridal
bed to signify fertility.
FINNEGAN & MILA
It's Happily
Ever After
for Us!
Together
since 1957

IX.
Eating Tangyuan
( 吃 汤 圆 )
Tangyuan, also known as
glutinous rice balls are
eaten by the couple to show
a wholeness and perfection
of the marriage.

Paying respects to the heaven
Worshipping the groom's
ancestors
Paying respects to the earth
X.
Ceremonial Prayers
After that, the bride and the groom will perform ceremonial
prayers to the heaven, earth and also to the groom's ancestors.

XI.
Tea Ceremony
at The Groom's
House
Serving tea to the parents
Serving tea to the elders
Firstly, the couple will offer tea to the groom's
parents. After that, they will offer tea to the
other relatives of the groom's family according
to seniority. By serving tea to the elders, they
receive gifts. The relatives who are younger
than the couple will in turn serve tea to them
and receive red packets.
The couple is served by young
relatives

0 4
THE WEDDING
BANQUET

A wedding banquet is usually held at a restaurant or a hotel to witness
the union of the couple. The couple will cut the wedding cake and drink
cross-cupped wine in the means of sharing joy and sorrow together.

CONCL
USION
Through this coffee table
book, I hope to share and pass
down the knowledge about
Chinese weddings to the
future generation, in hopes
that they will practice this
culture in one of their most
important lifetime event.

REFER
ENCES
RESOURCES:
http://www.chinesewedding-guide.com/
https://www.geomancy.net/
wiki/Wedding_Procedures
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Mr Lin You Nan

Coffee Table Book by
LIN SHAN YING
0334109
Foundation in Natural and Built
Environment
Culture and Civilisation