According to the custom of Chongming, it takes three days to get married. On the first morning, the groom will go to the woman's house to pick up the bride. Usually bring the bride's fetus home before dinner.
Before entering the house, firecrackers sounded everywhere. As soon as the couple got off the bus, they stepped on the red cloth bag. At this time, the groom's father and uncle are ready to meet them. They lit three fires made of straw at the gate of their yard, and the bride had to cross the fire to enter the house.
The meaning of three piles of flourishing fires seems to be greeting ancestors. And stepping on a cloth bag is to carry on the family line.
Men wear aprons to wash their feet at weddings? This is no joke. According to the custom on Chongming Island, the groom should wash his feet after taking the bride home. Don't pay attention to the footbath: the color must of course be red; Secondly, there are other things in the foot washing water: coins and eggs. Before washing feet, the groom wears a dark blue tunic skirt and puts on new cloth shoes after washing. This is Chongming dialect, which is commonly pronounced as yí, apron, waist moving head, yíyāotoú in Chongming area.
The moral of washing feet seems to be a banquet for the groom. When a man wears an apron, it also means that he is in charge, and he will have to worry about everything in the future. I wonder what this has to do with the Shanghai male general's "henpecked wife"? I don't think it is likely to be related. As for putting the ball and money in the water for washing feet, I don't know why. I asked some elders, but I couldn't tell you why. I'm just saying it's a tradition left by my ancestors.
On the second day of the happy event, the man's family will worship his ancestors, and there is a special link after the sacrifice-"green grass". In addition, the name is not familiar, it is a combination of onion and evergreen. They are wrapped in red paper. Onions are planted in private plots in their own yards. Digging tools must be pliers, which means prosperity. After the groom planted the onion, he began to throw the blue with excitement.
The apron is full of money, sugar and cake. At this time, all the children robbed. The scene is lively and interesting.
It is said that the origin of this "Yin" is quite exquisite, claiming that it must have been "stolen". When preparing to get married, the man will take some evergreen trees from his neighbor's plot (because it is a necessary part of the marriage custom, there are some species in the plot in front of every household). In case of moving, this onion will move to a new place together.
There are many interesting details and links in Chongming's marriage customs, but they have been simplified over time. But many parents who pay attention to tradition still hope that all the ceremonies can be completed. This is also very tiring for us post-80s newcomers.