Wedding is one of the most important things in people’s life---毕业论文.doc

【标题】 Wedding is one of the most important things in peoples life【作者】田蓉 【关键词】 【指导老师】沈 黎 【专业】英语 【正文】+I. IntroductionWedding is one of the most important things in peoples life, because of                                                                                                                      different cultures, each country has different ways to hold the wedding ceremony. Different wedding customs convey different meanings. With the intercourse communication becoming more and more important, its important and necessary for people to learn more about the differences between China and western countries, which helps them to avoid the misunderstanding in cultural communication. Wedding ceremony contains deep cultural meaning of one country. However, it is not only a ceremony but a national mark to one country. Wedding is a kind of cultural phenomenon. The comparative study on the wedding ceremony can better reflect the distinctions of the Chinese and western culture, broaden peoples horizon, even if, promote the cultural communications between the western countries and China.     This paper mainly focuses on the comparative study of Chinese and western weeding ceremony. It describes the similarities of Chinese and western wedding ceremonies. Secondly, it discusses the differences of Chinese and western wedding ceremonies from the different dresses of bride and groom, different procedures in the wedding ceremonies and different styles of banquets. Thirdly, it analyzes the causes of different wedding ceremonies from different traditional customs, religions and values. Finally, it gets a conclusion.II. The Similarities of Chinese and Western Wedding Ceremony   As a popular cultural phenomenon, the wedding ceremony becomes more and more important. So Chinese and western wedding ceremony have some similarities. Because many people think wedding ceremony is a big and important thing in their life, some formal and grand wedding ceremony will be hold. Now, the following are some details of the similarities of western and Chinese wedding ceremony.     There are some similar traditional customs in the Chinese and western wedding ceremony, which Byram wrote in a book:The bride and groom exchange the rings for each other during the wedding ceremony. This is a symbol of exchanging the love to each other. In addition, there is a traditional custom to throw the brides ball during the process of the groom marrying his bride in Chinese ancient times, while in the western church wedding, if someone receives the brides flower handed into the air, she will become the next bride to get married.    Both of the two kinds of wedding ceremonies are involved with the religions. He Christianity is a typical religion in the western culture, and it deeply influences the western wedding ceremony. Meanwhile, the Buddhism and Taoism are traditional religions in China, which gives a wide and deep effect on the Chinese wedding ceremony. What more, there exists a matchmaker in the belief of wedding gods in the two cultures respectively .the matchmaker of western wedding is Venus who is the a symbol of love in western countries,  “月下老人”(yue xia lao ren) is a kind-hearted man helps the young people to become lovers in Chinese mysterious stories. 1Finally, the atmosphere of wedding ceremony is very happy. III. Differences of Chinese and Western Wedding Ceremony Each country in the world has its own traditional customs because of differences in culture. Wedding customs is one of the customs which influenced by culture. Wedding customs also is an interesting topic. It attracts much care of young people. China and western countries both have their own wedding customs. So there are also many differences between Chinese and western wedding ceremony between Chinese wedding ceremony and western wedding ceremony.A. Different Dresses of Bride and GroomWedding dress is given the utmost importance so as to impart the most unique appearance to the couple. So people pay more attention to their dress on the wedding day. Because of the different cultures, costumes are also different in China and western countries.    1. Wedding Dresses of Bride and Groom in ChinaAs the symbolic color of China, Chinese people like red best, red is the color appeared most in Chinese wedding, as it represent good luck and indicates that couples will live happily ever after this is used to be in a positive sense. Its associations originate from the sun and fire in the ancient time, which was described by Lin Yeyun:According to the ancient Chinese legends and mythologies, people had been inclined to think of themselves as the product of nature, in which they got direct benefits from the warmth of the sun and fire. Therefore, they connected the color of the sun with anything happy, lucky and prosperous. Whats more, red is the most frequent color in celebrations and joyful occasions. In traditional Chinese wedding ceremony, the bride puts on new underclothes and sits before lit dragon-and-phoenix candles. Then she puts on her wedding jacket, shirt and red shoes. The groom was dressed in a long gown, red shoes, a red silk sash with a silk ball on his shoulder. 22. Wedding Dresses of Bride and Groom in Western Countries     In Western Countries, White is the symbol of brightness, purity, and innocence. So in the western wedding, people like using white to decorate everything and the wedding is called “white wedding”. Not only does white symbolize purity and virginity, but it is also thought to ward off evil spirits. The bride should make some attempts to look western, through a period dress, Often embroidered, or white laced-up boots or by a hair-do that attempts to recreate the look and the feel of the 1880s Wild West. Yan Mei fang once wrote in a book that the groom should wear shinned cowboy boots. He should be wearing new or pressed denim jeans, a checked or embroidered shirt, a vest, a string tie and quite possibly a black or a white cowboy hat. 3B. Different Procedures in the Wedding CeremonyThe wedding ceremony is usually very complicated. The procedures of Western countries are not so complicated. The boys and girls begin their first date at a certain age, and there is not so much rules to obey. However, some traditional ways are interesting and cultural.1. Procedure in the Chinese Wedding CeremonyThe wedding ceremony is usually very complicated. The traditional Chinese marriage usually involves six necessary procedures, namely: matchmaking, engagement, betrothal parents, meeting the bride, three bows and drinking wedlock wine. Matching is that the matchmaker will woo the girl on the boys behalf and ask about the girls age and year of birth and then goes to fortune-teller to predict their future. Engagement is a ceremony involving an exchange of engagement certificate which indicates the year, month, day and hour of each others birth, each pair consisting of one Heavenly Stem and one Earthly Branch. Betrothal represents are gifts sent to the girls family, and those are usually some ladies wear, ornaments and money. The girls family may return the mans hat and shoes or stationery in addition to some dowry. Meeting the bride is when the bridegroom goes to the brides home to meet her, and the bride is usually veiled and carried with the sound of the bells and drums in a sedan-chair for the wedding. Three bows, also called bow to Heaven and Earth, is the most important rite in the ceremony. The new couple needs to stand side by side, making three bows. First bow is to heaven, earth and ancestors; second to both parents and third to each other. Drinking wedlock wine is the last but probably the most exciting procedure for the marriage. The new couple, after an exchange of toasts and drinks, will soon be ready to rest. A typical Chinese wedding nowadays goes like this: when a new couple is engaged, what followed is actually a choice of the date of their marriage. Most people would favor a bank holiday or special Chinese festivals because those dates are usually more convenient for their relatives and friends to attend the wedding. However, quite a few others, especially those in the countryside, would probably ask a fortune-teller to choose a special lucky red-letter date (usually an even number) so that their marriage would have “Double Happiness”. On the day of the wedding，the bridal chamber is brightly lit and graciously decorated. The bride and the bridegroom make themselves up to look their best. In rural areas，the bride is veiled and carried in a sedan chair, whereas in urban areas, the bridegroom usually meets the bride in a car. Upon the arrival of the bride, firecrackers are set off and colorful ribbons and confetti are thrown all over the bride and bridegroom to bring them good luck. Sometimes, very loud traditional music is also played to create a lively atmosphere. The wedding ceremony is usually presided over by a prestigious figure from either the brides or the bridegrooms work unit. After a lot of courtesies and formalities, the new couple is required to stand side by side, making three bows. The wedding ceremony very often ends with a very extravagant banquet. Toasts are made to wish the new couple long life, eternal love and happiness, early birth of a healthy baby and so on. They are also usually given many lovely and useful gifts by their friends and relatives. 2. Procedure in the Western Wedding Ceremony     Western wedding is a romantic type, the whole wedding from start to finish to the full of romantic. The bride's dress is generally white, the groom is black dress so that the whole wedding was the solemn seriousness.“ A traditional wedding ceremony begins with the bridesmaid and ushers walking slowly down a center aisle to the altar. ”4 They stand on each side of the altar throughout the ceremony. The groom and his best man enter and stand with the minister, facing the audience, and waiting for the bride at the altar. When the “Wedding March” is played, the brides attendants enter. The maid of honor enters first, and then the flower girls. The bride is always the last to enter, and she comes usually with her father, who gives her way to the altar. The young couple repeats their vows at the altar. Traditionally, they promise to love each other “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health”. But, sometimes the couple has written their own vows. Then the groom puts a gold wedding ring on the ring finger of the brides left hand, and the bride may also give the groom a ring. Finally the minister announces the big moment: “I pronounce you are husband and wife: you may kiss your bride!” The wedding kiss not only indicates the completion of the ceremony, but symbolizes the change of the state of the bride. When he lifts her veil to touch her lips, the husband announces in fact that he accepts her as his wife.   C. Different Styles of Banquets in the Wedding Ceremony     A wedding banquet is important, it plays a most important role during the wedding ceremony. It is a party held after the completion of a marriage ceremony, but the details are different.1. Chinese-style of Banquet in the Wedding Ceremony Nearly all of Chinese traditional wedding ceremonies ended with a wedding banquet, it is the pinnacle of the wedding celebration, and is always held at night. Wedding banquets may become quite large, depending on the financial status of the grooms family, often many over a hundred tables,. Traditionally wedding banquets were held in the home or home compound. Alcoholic drinks are considered compulsory at a wedding banquet, and the wedding couple often drink a toast at each table of the banquet. The couple will usually be teased and join in games at the banquet. The end of the wedding comes with the signing of the marriage register, making the marriage contractually binding. It was considered a public recognition of the union: Symbolism plays a role in Chinese weddings as it does in the wedding traditions of other countries. One custom, still followed at many traditional wedding banquets, is that of using a red ribbon to tie a glass of wine together with a glass of honey. The ribbon symbolizes “tying” the couple together, with wishes of a sweet future.52. Western-style of Banquet in the Wedding CeremonyIn western countries, the wedding banquet is simpler than that in China. They can prepare a buffet or a party to celebrate the wedding ceremony. And the whole process accompany with light soft music. The diet is very simple and the wedding cake is necessary. The cake is the symbol of happiness. Friends and family gather to eat, drink, listen to music and dance, make toasts, and give gifts to the bride and groom. Meal, toasts and dances are the main features in the western banquet of wedding ceremony. During the banquet, the couple usually cut a special large cake. Traditionally they cut the first slice of cake, holding the knife together. The superstition is that if any one else cuts into the cake first, the couples happiness and prosperity are cut into. The couple first feed each other a bite, and then shares the cake with all the guests. Another superstition is that if one takes home a piece of bridal cake and sleeps with it under ones pillow, in the future husband will appear in the dream. Perhaps it is for the reason that slices of bridal cake are packed in small boxes tied with white ribbon.       In most western countries, before or after a meal (traditionally paid for by the brides family), toasts are made by the wedding party wishing the couple well. Traditionally, the speaking parties include the brides father and the groom. In the modern U.S, speeches are more often given by the best man (who usually slips in a few good-natured jokes at the couples expense) and the maid of honor.     A couple from a traditional western-style wedding enjoys the first dance. After the speeches, the bride and groom begin their first dance, which used to be called the “bridal waltz”; in most contemporary weddings a recent romantic song is played and the bride and grooms dance is rarely an actual waltz. Different dance styles are now used, depending on the nature of the song. The wedding reception dance party may involve a certain sequence of special dances. For example, after the first dance, the groom may escort his bride to her father for a special father and daughter dance. Following the various special dances, the guests are invited to join in the dancing. The party continues with toasts and various celebrations until the bride and groom leave in a car decorated by the couples friends.  The new couple would leave the banquet in advance to make some preparations for the honeymoon. In Western countries the banquet should be paid by the brides family.D Different Wedding Ceremonies on Ceremony Day1. Chinese Wedding Ceremony on Ceremony D