QUESTION:
How many days before
a traditional Chinese Han wedding must a Groom
not see the Bride?
a) One day
b) Three Days
c) Eight Days
d) Nine days
e) 250 days
ANSWERS:
a) No, that is the Western
concept. Lao Wai always rushes things!
b) Right on the mark. Even when
the groom selected his own bride, which was
rare, he was not allowed to see her for three
days before the wedding. Not that he would
have time anyway, as any diligent groom would
be busy preparing special cakes for the bride's
family to give to their guests, and he had
to arrange for the purchase of the bridal
bed. Such beds, that were bought from fertile
craftsmen with many children, had to be covered
with lotus seeds, oranges and the like.
c) Eight is the luckiest number
in China, but most men can't wait eight days
for anything. Guess again!
d) Nine is the number for the
Emperor, not weddings.
e) Only if the boy is a "250",
which means "fool" in Chinese.
