In the old Beijing area, after receiving the wedding gift from the man's family, the woman's family divided the dragon and phoenix wedding cakes and refreshments into several portions, put them in boxes, and gave them to the close relatives such as seven aunts and eight aunts in a friendly way, informing them of the date of the dowry and expressing their invitation. For ordinary friends, just send an invitation. The letter wrote: "I sincerely hope to mark" ×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××× Write "to × yuan".
When a woman marries, she must marry him. There are many names, and her wealth changes with the wealth of her family. 1June, 924, Mr. Gu Jiegang published an article in Peking University Ballad Weekly, listing the "striking" of a wedding in Suzhou in the fifteenth year of Guangxu (1889): all kinds of utensils such as copper, tin, porcelain, teeth, bamboo and wood were complete and had boxes. Fifty-one pieces of wood such as cabinets, dressing tables and bathtubs, six pieces of bamboo such as silk reeds and laundry baskets, and various kinds of mirrors, such as reunion mirrors, ivory chopsticks and other dental appliances and bedding.
In Tianmen, Hubei Province, there was a rule of "one room and one hall" for a woman's dowry, that is, the furniture in the hall and bridal chamber was accompanied by the woman, while the ceremony at the man's house required "whole pig and sheep". As a result, "one room, one living room" and "whole pig and whole sheep" have become the dowry and dowry standards of local well-off families. In Jingshan area, in addition to household items, windmills, waterwheels, hoes, sickles, rakes and other farm tools are also very popular. In public security and other places, there must be eight big chairs in the dowry and put them in the main room to show the style of the bride's family. Suizhou custom, dowry has three, four and five heads. Everything is even, everything is household goods. Zhuxi area is divided into three, four, eight or even twenty-four lifts. There is a local saying that "eight pigs, eight sheep and eight dowries are given to girls".
After the founding of New China (1949), the traditional concept and custom of heavy dowry have not changed much. It was only in the fifties and sixties that the supply of materials was extremely tight and the conditions were very poor. Many institutions implement the supply system, and "bride price" and "dowry" are not considered at all. Usually, two single beds will be combined. Even in rural areas, most young men and women do not deliberately pursue material conditions, but have the most basic daily necessities. The dowry is still paid by the girl's family, but the girl has saved a lot of income for her family through her own labor for many years. If the bride has a fixed salary in a state-owned enterprise or commune, most of her salary will be used for dowry with the consent of her parents. In ordinary workers or peasant families, the content and quantity of dowry are similar to the prevailing standards in the Republic of China, mainly personal necessities. But everything must be new and packed in two wooden cases. "Dowry" has become synonymous with the material preparations made by both men and women for building a small family life after marriage.
In the 1970s, things improved. Although some goods in short supply are still supplied by tickets, they have begun to enter the homes of ordinary people. With the continuous improvement of people's living standards, the traditional atmosphere of heavy dowry has begun to rise again. "Mu Mu" is the most direct representation of the living standard of an era. At that time, there was a saying that bicycles, sewing machines, watches and radios, as well as double beds, wardrobes, wardrobes, bedside tables, dressing tables, writing desks, square tables and four chairs were needed to get married. These furniture always have 36 legs, which is called "36 feet". Even in the suburbs of Beijing, the dowry pays attention to "eight legs", which refers to the wardrobe and chest of drawers. In addition, there are televisions, refrigerators, bicycles, clocks, watches, electric fans, tableware, vases, porcelain tea sets, tablecloths, glasses, cosmetics, boxes of clothes and so on. In this case, the man's family gave her some gifts in advance, which made it possible for her to buy these dowry that looked rich in the countryside in advance.
Mr. Chen, a folklorist, attended the wedding of a relative and friend in the suburbs of Shanghai three times. 1979 marry a woman, the rural economy has just recovered, and it is necessary to marry a woman 1500 yuan; There are bicycles, sewing machines, six quilts and other bedding. The second daughter 198 1 spent 3000 to 4000 yuan when she got married. When the third daughter 1984 got married, she had a wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a sofa, a bicycle, an electric fan, a washing machine, a TV set, ten colorful quilts, two duvets and other bedding. The dowry is in the hall, and there are two rooms in it. It is said that because the TV set is black and white, married women put a considerable sum of money in their lockers. The matter was lively in the local area for several days, and the record was quickly broken. A daughter who sells onion and ginger got married, called two taxis from downtown, crossed the Huangpu River and took a ride in the villages and towns. The banquet lasted for three days and nights, and the dowry quilt was 24 beds. You know, this is not a family recruiting a son-in-law, and the ostentation and extravagance of the men's family has not been counted.
In all dowry in some areas of Zhejiang and Hangzhou, a red painted toilet is essential, almost the first. The toilet is called the "offspring bucket" and it is used as a symbol. Obviously, firstly, it is often close to the reproductive organs, and secondly, it is similar to the reproductive organs and production channels of women. Jujube, peanuts, longan, chestnuts and lychees should be put in the toilet, which means "early birth" and "five sons should enter the house", and some red eggs should be put in the toilet, which also means "five sons should enter the house". Sending a "Tong Tong" is not only to wish the male family to have children as soon as possible, but also to ask the host for the red eggs and happy fruits in the "Tong Tong" if the relatives and friends of the male family have not given birth for a long time. It is said that eating it will make you happy soon and give birth to a boy.
In many places, it is customary to call dowry a "gift" to avoid the taboo of "the goods delivered to your door are worthless", so it is called "dowry". Dowry is the best time to show the elegance of a woman's family. Therefore, publicity and ostentation are everywhere, and the custom of "showing dowry" is popular, and some places say it is "putting on airs".
The dowry scene in Guangdong is extremely hot, luxurious, ostentatious and complicated. The day before marriage, the woman's family sends the dowry to the man's family, and the wages for making the dowry are paid by the man's family, which is called "moving the dowry". When rich and powerful people give gifts, they use big lanterns to write the words "X Fu gives gifts" or "X Fu brings double happiness", hire a maid from the etiquette shop, tie all the gifts with red ropes, or put them in the lower cabinet (similar to the square table), or put them in a food box, or carry them or carry them. The bride's dowry is everything from the furniture, bedding, wardrobe, kitchen utensils, toiletries and incense table tin in the hall. What is unique is that the person who marries him has a "Etiquette Record", which lists all the things he marries one by one to show caution and is not afraid of triviality. When the man accepts the betrothal gift, he must check it against the documentary records, and return a red invitation card with the words "respect for the son-in-law" and "documentary records" written on it, covered with silk, with the first two pages covered with golden red paper, and the rest pages printed with gold thread on red paper. The first two pages usually say "Chai Jing skirt cloth" or "Beijing cloth family style". Then there are categories: tin ware, silverware, household goods, ancient embroidery, glass, vases, mirror screens, clocks and watches, boxes, bedding, sanitary ware and so on. There are also deeds, deeds, pawnbrokers and maids. Small families also have food baskets, rice baskets, lunch boxes, knives and scissors, scales and so on.
In Jinhua and Yoichi Higashi, Zhejiang, dowry is paid on the wedding day. One happy morning, the bride's family moved all the dowries to the yard one by one, from wooden furniture to bamboo products, from daily necessities to household appliances, all tied with red silk, with pine and cypress, evergreen, red and green pieces of paper on it, tied into shoulders, lined up, and then set off firecrackers. Hearing this, the villagers came to watch the comments one after another, which was very lively. At the auspicious time, the matchmaker led the makeup welcoming team sent by the man's family to arrive. He first gave the woman a profit-making red envelope entrusted by the man's family to pay for her cooking, boiling water, combing her hair and sending beggars away, and then gave her gifts such as pig hearts and red candles. At this time, the woman raised firecrackers, let the dowry be set off and sent to the man's house. Interestingly, the matchmaker has to carry a few bamboos on his shoulders, which are called "descendants bamboos". Before leading the way, firecrackers were set off all the way, and Zhang Yangyang went to the men's house in a mighty way. In Huzhou area, when a woman's family sends a betrothal gift to a man's family, the man will give the betrothal gift giver a "wedding dress bag" according to the amount of the betrothal gift, and then put the betrothal gift out in the hall, set off firecrackers, and greet relatives and neighbors to watch it, commonly known as "bright betrothal gift".
Speaking of the custom of "bright dowry", Lipu area in Guangxi is the strangest. According to local customs, the dowry of Ming Dynasty was held in the bridal chamber, commonly known as "opening the dowry box instrument". After the wedding reception, the ceremony will be held after the couple have finished the tea ceremony, presided over by uncle (if there is no uncle, it will be replaced by uncle or uncle). Before unpacking, my uncle sang: "Left box and right box, gold and silver are bright." After singing, I opened the box, took out the items in the box and sang the name of the dowry. Singing one by one, every time I take out something, I bring out some banknotes and coins taken from the box surface. The whistle falls to the ground and flies around the house. In the onlookers' oh! Oh! "There is a warm atmosphere in the bridal chamber in the voice, which shows the wealth of her family. My uncle took the dowry out of the box, gave it to a special receiver, and spread it on the bed, table and floor of the new house for everyone to watch to show their dignity. In addition to precious and soft things, hand embroidery, clothes and daily necessities, there are several essential dowry items in the box: a small match, a small packet of salt, a small bottle of oil, vinegar and sauce to show that the bride is diligent and capable and has a good housekeeping. At the same time, show off the full compensation of the family, and there is nothing to worry about.
In Nanhui, Shanghai, it is customary to give a dowry the day before marriage. According to local custom, the bride's red and green quilt must be sewn by her sister-in-law. Quilt heads, homespun, clothes, headscarves, etc. in parents' hands. Then she married her daughter to her brother's sister-in-law, who made a quilt and put it in a dowry box to show that all these things were married to her daughter with the consent of her brother's sister-in-law, so as to avoid conflicts at home in the future. This is called "filling the box". Then the dowry is placed in the main house and red candles are lit. When the man who marries the dowry arrives, he will pay for all kinds of masters for the woman, and then the uncle will start to pay the dowry. First, send a bucket of grandchildren and say, "Bring a baby with broken eyes (that is, bring something broken)", and then everyone can start moving dowry. Interestingly, according to local customs, you can't choose a dowry, you can't carry it, and you can't carry it. Take the dowry and go to the southeast. The dowry cannot be changed on the way, and the obviously light items should be loaded with heavy ones. It's not far, but it's a long way. Commonly known as "flying dragon", it is actually showing off and deliberately "putting on airs". (Wan Jianzhong, a professor at Beijing Normal University and an expert in folklore)