从中西婚礼看中西文化差异

Explore the Culture Differences Between Chinese

and Western from Wedding Culture

The wedding is two person in love with a ceremony held in order to prove that they love each other and want to be together all their life in any situations. They want their Relatives and friends to witness their happiness. Different countries, regions and ethnic wedding which all contain their own culture and folklore features are different. the wedding of the wedding clothes, wedding photos, wedding dinner and marriage customs are all showing the times and national cultures. If Western-style wedding is sanctity, then Chinese wedding is festive. Is due to cultural differences between Western and Chinese causing the problem?

I .Comparison of Chinese and western wedding

A. Protocol

In China, the wedding must be host by a matchmaker, to show the bride and groom are Soong, and the matchmaker must be a welfare of people who have three generations living under one roof and have a son. Mainly for the ceremony: First, bow to sky and earth; Second, bow to mutual parents; Third, couple bow to each other; Finally, sent them to the boudoir. Chinese emphasis on ethics, morality and heritage of the traditional cosmology of Heaven, respectfully regarded the natural world as sky and earth. The three bow means the ancestors and parents agree to a formal marriage. However, In the U.S., the new couple tend to choose church by the priest to preside over the wedding and to allow priests to announce the legality of their marriage. They swore to each other in a solemn: "From now, together with each other, support each other, whether good or bad, rich or poor, sickness or health are in love, cherish, till death can separate us." And mutual exchange rings and kiss each other.

B. Bride Dress

China's traditional bride's dress, mostly is the red Tang suit, but with the spread of foreign culture, most of the bride will wear white wedding dress to show their pure beauty. Meanwhile, in a white wedding dress still on the red flowers or other red string. The bride cannot wear any clothing with short words, such as shorts, socks and so on, otherwise it will indicate the temporary nature of her marriage. In the U.S., There is one kind of unwritten rule about the bride that the bride dressed in wedding day must be with the five things: "the same old, as new, borrowed, like, the same blue, happy bride, but also have a sixpence in the shoe. "

II. comparison of Chinese and western culture

In the traditional Chinese concept of marriage, It has a very sacred sense, and is the basis of traditional Chinese ethics. Male and female marriage is made with the nature of yin and yang. In old days, the Chinese believe that marriage is chosen by the God. Couples must obey the rule of Ethical code. The relations between the sexes only be required to assume certain social responsibilities, while ignoring and limiting the normal instinct desire of human. The real purpose of marriage is a continuation of the clan.

Western marriage ethic is derived from a blend of the Greek and Hebraic Christian culture. Western Marriage is a manifestation of attaching great importance to individual’s free will, is the development of human nature, and is entirely made up of people's natural tendency and freedom of choice to grasp. Men and women encounter in their daily social life, and naturally attracted to the opposite sex, love and thus willing to completely sacrifice themselves to each other. in the

mutual commitment of the marriage relationship, make up a family with a common vision for the future life, and contribution to the reproduction of human life and the improvement of life.

III. Conclusion

The rich culture of the wedding, is the collision of Chinese and Western. With China's economic development and the improvement of international influence, the Chinese and Western cultures began a more extensive impact and blend. the collision and fusion of Western and Chinese culture is a true portrayal of today's global environment, We can imagine that we all will have a unity custom in one day.