Fenghuang Miao People’s Marriage Customs

Culture 2012/08/31 View：2425

There exists high degree of autonomy in Fenghuang Miao people’s marriage. Singing in antiphonal style is the most representative way of expressing love between Miao men and women. Miao youth pay much attention to artistic talent and moral characters instead of property and family financial situation.

Miao men and women can exchange tokens of love when finding an appropriate lover. Generally they need to ask for their parents’ approve before getting married. In most Miao districts, autonomous marriage coexists with arranged marriage.

Another form is marriage by capture or the similar ways. Under the circumstances of a young man and a woman are willing to become life partners though free love, the man can invite his friends to help him bring the woman to his home, thus forming marriage. After three days, they invite a blessing old man to tell the woman’s parents about the marriage and ask for their permission, taking a chicken. Then, both sides discuss about the date and detailed matters related to hold a wedding in parental home.

Generally, Fenghuang Miao youth get married between 16 to 20 years old. Early marriages also exist in about 14 to 15-year-old youth. Different nationalities or even different sublines of Miao nationality do not be related by marriage by and large.

They can divorce if incompatible emotion appears after getting married. The one who first ask for a divorce needs to apologize and pay compensation to the other side. Fenghuang Miao nationality pursues monogyny. Women have some right to speak in family affairs, but male-dominated society still accounts for main part. Fenghuang Miao people have their own family names, while now they use Chinese family names mostly as Han people do.

Translated by Becky

Reading

Floating River Lanterns

Floating river lanterns is an ancient traditional custom in China. It is used to mourn passing relatives and bless living people.

2012-09-26 20:59 View：2370
Tujia Ten Sisters’ Accompanying Custom

Tujia people are very cautious about the marriage if the bride and the groom have the same surname. If they have the same surname, they may be of the same blood. The marriage of the same blood is a big taboo in Tujia. Tujia girls will welcome their marriage day by crying. The bride usually starts to cry half a month previous to the wedding day; some even cry about one month. The shortest is about 3 or 5 days. Tujia people judge a girl’s intelligence and virtue by how well she can sing crying songs in the wedding.

2012-08-07 01:08 View：2303
Miao Nationality’s Special Custom: Welcome Dragon

Welcome the dragon is a holy worship to Miao people. In order to wish for their families’ prosperity, Miao people usually make a vow to the dragon and invite two senior masters to host the religious rites. They need to ask the hostess’s brother of that family to welcome the dragon for them. Owners have to welcome the hostess’s brother in the entrance to their village and send two bowls of liquor and red paper containing money as a gift.

2012-08-30 01:03 View：2171
ZJJ Tujia’s Architectural Style

The Tujia people like living in groups, and the houses of the Tujia, known as Diaojiaolou are very functional and similar to those of Miao. The house is made of wood, with tile roof, up-turned eaves, and balcony with carved wooden handrails. On the lower floor, there is livestock; while the girls’ bedrooms are kept upstairs.

2012-08-07 01:02 View：2263
A Brief History of Tujia People

The Tujia people called themselves “Bizika”, which means “Native dwellers”. Although their name suggests that they are natives, their exact origin is still uncertain.

2012-08-31 01:01 View：2261
Xiangxi Miao Flower Drum

Miao flower drum originated from Tang Dynasty, which creates its over one-thousand history. According to some maters, They learned to play flower drum when they were young. Colorful petals were put above the drum. They were not allowed to knock petals down in the process of playing the drum, which of course required excellent skill. Maybe this is why they call it flower drum later.

2012-08-30 00:56 View：2331
Fenghuang Miao Martial Art

Generally, Fenghuang Miao martial art has a long history. Especially Chiyou boxing in Miao boxing originated from Chi-you era.

2012-08-25 23:06 View：2414
Fenghuang Tea-light Opera

Tea-light opera is a small scaled musical opera in Fenghuang, originating from folk minor, folk songs of labor, lantern dance and many traditional tunes.

2012-08-22 11:57 View：2248
Zhangjiajie Ethnic Tanhou Sunning Clothes

During this day, each Tujia ethnic family will prepare a big meal for family union. Firstly, they will cook dishes and worship their ancestor Tanhou. Tanhou was a leader popular with Tujia people. While he was disobey to the emperor of Ming Dynasty so that he was died for some political reasons. And the traditional custom in this festival is to sun clothes for memory this great Tujia minority figure.

2012-08-30 11:55 View：2295
Zhangjiajie Tujia’s Caisheng Custom

When Tujia women born a baby, the first guest went into the room, it is the people of “CaiSheng”. At this time, the baby’s father specifically sent a bowl with four eggs to feed strangers, and the baby called the stranger man “adopted father”. If the people is women, the baby called her “adopted mother”, the two sides relationship became stronger and stronger every day.

2012-08-23 23:17 View：2116