As one of China’s 55 ethnic tribes, the Bai ethnic group has its own distinctive marriage rituals and they keep the tradition of monogamy.

Wedding Banquet

Baba

Tangyuan

According to its marriage rituals, a girl will give the boy a piece of Baba, a kind of rice cake, if she agrees to his proposal. Before the wedding, the groom’s family will prepare a wedding tent, and on the eve of the wedding day, they should invite those who are good at Chinese opera to perform in this tent. Neighbors and relatives will come to enjoy the performance while having fruits, wine and tea prepared by the host. After the performance, the guests should share a bowl of Tangyuan, a kind of sweet dumpling made of glutinous rice, to express their best wishes for the new couple.

Carrying Bride on the Back

Carrying the bride on the back is a typical marriage tradition in Bai ethnic minority. During the wedding ceremony, the groom has to carry his bride on his back, walking along the route in the shape of the number eight. While in some other places, the groom need not go to escort his bride to his home and instead invites his best men to do it. The best men go to the bride’s home with the music played by Suona, a folk musical instrument. When the best men arrive, the bride’s family does not immediately go out to welcome them until Suona players finish playing the joyous music for six times.

Pinching Bride

Another interesting tradition in Bai wedding is the guests can pinch the bride for good luck. The bride cannot get angry even when she feels painful.

Wedding Ceremony

After the bride enters the bridal chamber, a ceremony is held for the new couple to kowtow to the Heaven and Earth, and to their parents. The next day, the bridegroom sends the God of Happiness to the home of the bride’s parents and the bride pays her first visit after marriage to her parents. In general, the bride returns to her new home the same day. If it is far away, she stays in her parents’ home for the night. This signifies the end of the wedding ceremony.

by Xiao Xiao @ InteractChina.com

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