Tang Dynasty Crossing Guide: Chang'an and People's Life Manual

Chapter 24 If You Marry a Tang Dynasty Man (1)
Bridesmaid, where is your red hijab?Did not bring?Can you forget to bring this?

wedding customs
Girls of Tang Chuantuan, after reading the fashion magazines, let's do something down to business, shall we?Then again, what is "business" for women in the Tang Dynasty?

When you open your eyes, you are surrounded by a noisy crowd.This time, the four-dimensional coordinates selected by crossing the landing are too amazing. It took you a long time to figure it out, and the people around you smiled and said to you: "Little lady is overjoyed! A husband's family has sent a matchmaker to pick it up!"

Well, I haven't even been able to tell the difference between the southeast and the north through this time, and I'm about to get married.

Forget it, you can't make the decision anyway.And after marrying into her husband's family, even if her behavior is different from before, and the chances of cheating are less, it's better to visit the Tang Dynasty wedding for free, and you don't even need to pay for free food and drink.What?You ask, what if you marry a husband who looks like a pig?It's easy to handle, and I'll wear it back on the wedding night in the bridal chamber!You can also get a discount on round-trip tickets!
Calm down, let's first experience how the beauties of the Tang Dynasty were married off.

The "six ceremonies" for marriage since the Han Dynasty were also followed in the Tang Dynasty. The "Six Ceremonies" have several literary names: Nacai, Wenming, Naji, Nazheng, Qiqi, and Qinying.In fact, in modern times, folks generally call these steps: proposing marriage, combining horoscopes, posting big posts, giving gifts, counting days, and picking up daughter-in-law.

The family you came to is named Zhang, which is considered a well-to-do family. His father, Zhang Jiu, has served as a small official of the seventh and eighth ranks.Your future husband's surname is Li, and his social status is similar, maybe a little higher. Father-in-law Li Ada was a sixth- and seventh-rank official, but husband-in-law Li Si is still white and is studying for the imperial examination.The two families have known each other before and mentioned their marriage, and they both felt that they were almost satisfied, so they chose a good day and invited the official matchmaker Wang Wu to come to your house to formally propose marriage "Na Cai".

The matchmaker can't come empty-handed, the man's family prepared several gifts, among which must be a wild goose.Can't catch it?If there are no geese, geese will do, or ducks will make do.Not even ducks?Carve the shape of a poultry out of wood.Tsk, if you are so poor, what kind of wife do you want to marry?

Your father Zhang Jiu knew that the matchmaker was coming today, so he laid a mat on the west side of the main hall as a place for the "Nai Cai" ceremony.Dang Dang, a matchmaker in formal attire knocked on the door outside.

People from your family went out to answer the door and asked what was the matter. The matchmaker Wang Wu said: "Mr. Zhang has a favor and gave it to his wife Li. Li has the gift of an ancestor, so Wang Wu please accept it." When the family came back to report, your father Answer: "Someone's son is stupid and can't teach him. Wang Lang orders him, but he dare not resign."

So your father also wore a formal dress and went out to welcome the matchmaker into the house. The host and guest stood in their respective positions and bowed to each other.The matchmaker said: "Dare to accept." Give a wild goose (goose/duck/wooden bird) to your father.This counts as a gift.

The matchmaker took another goose (goose/duck/wooden bird) and began to perform the "name asking" ceremony, saying: "Since Wang Wu has been ordered, he will add divination. Who dare to ask the girl to be her?"

Your father said: "Wang Lang has a destiny, and he chooses according to etiquette. If he dares not resign, he will say Ah Chuan." This is to explain your name to the bride.

In fact, it’s not enough just to tell you your name, you have to write your date of birth on the geng post, and give it to the matchmaker to take it back to calculate whether there is any conflict between the man and the woman.The matchmaker took the post, declined the woman's invitation to leave entertainment, and went back to the man's side to chat. The level of "asking the name" is over.

If the man's divination results show that you two have the same zodiac and are suitable for matching, then find a good day and invite a matchmaker to come to your house to "Naji" and give your father a goose (goose/duck/wooden bird), Said: "Zhang Gong has a gift, and ordered Li to add it to the divination, and the divination said it was auspicious, so that Wang Wu dared to tell." Your father replied: "The son of a certain one will not teach, because he is afraid that he will be unbearable. Since he is lucky, I am also here, so I dare not resign. "That will seal your marriage.

After that, the man chooses two sons who have official positions, talents and good looks from the relatives as "letter envoys" and "deputy letter envoys". , A poplar or nanmu box with an inner width of eight minutes, tied with colorful threads, and sealed with the title "Marriage Letter".The second male followed behind with a mighty bride price team, and they came to your house to kill you.

What are the dowry gifts?Walking in the front are two steed horses, without saddles and bridles, with black silk as bridles (do you test the riding skills of the two handsome men?), and then carry the human-powered sedan chair with the gift letter of poplar wood and nanmu, next to the letter There were three beautiful maidservants guarding them, and behind them were carrying five-color satin, large bundles of brocade, piles of copper coins, pigs, sheep and livestock, rice flour, grain and oil, wild game, snacks and fruits, cheese oil and salt, soy sauce, vinegar, onion and ginger... Say, these look better than dozens of limousines driving around the streets now...

As for your home, before they arrive, set up a big low bed, put a case on the bed, and set an incense burner, water bowl, and knife on the case. (Hey, I don't want you to kill the gift giver, wash it up and eat it...)
After the man's two envoys arrive, the two of you will chatter again.Your father took the gift letter, pried open the lid of the box with a knife, took out a piece of exquisite paper inside, unfolded it, and read the block letters on the paper aloud in public. Dabai: The fourth male year has been established, but there is no marriage. The third daughter of Chengxian, Ling Shu, is well-known, and has both four virtues. She is willing to be a high-level supporter. Because of the matchmaker Wang Wu, I dare to ask you with courtesy. If you don’t leave, you will save Obey Jia Ming, Ah Dabai."

Your father, Zhang Jiu, accepted this letter and took out another letter, which is the written "Answer to Marriage": "Jiubai: The third daughter is still in her early years, and she is not ready for courtesy. The fourth son of Chengxian is not married. There is a husband and wife, Gu Cun has a good marriage, and I would like to ask for help. I would like to disrespect because of the matchmaker Wang Wu. Jiubai."

This letter should also be put into a gift letter of the same size and sent to the two envoys, and I will trouble them to take it back to the man's home.Then your family accepts a lot of betrothal gifts, and then entertains the senders. The "Nazheng" level has been counted, and you have been counted as a member of your husband's family since then.In the future, even if your father commits rebellion and ransacks the house, it has nothing to do with you according to the law.

The fifth of the six rites is "asking for a date", that is, the man's family has counted the date of the wedding and sent a matchmaker to your house to ask for permission (in fact, it is to inform your family).

Please also use a goose (goose/duck/wooden bird... Big goose roars: I just obey the rules, have a good temper, and insist on monogamy. You humans will not let go of this benefit, and it will hurt you Laozi are endangered animals now!), the emissary Wang Wu took it to your house and said to your father: "Li Ada ordered Wang Wu to obey the orders of Duke Zhang." Your father replied: "Zhang Jiu obeys orders. The matchmaker said: "Ambassador Li A was ordered by Mr. Zhang. Mr. Zhang did not allow it. Li Ada dared not expect it. It was the sixth day of April." Your father replied, "Zhang Jiu dare not respect him."

The matchmaker went back to report. Your wedding date is set on the sixth day of April. The marriage has been more than half done, but do you think that so far, you, the bride, have nothing to do?Other than peeking and listening through the cracks of the door, it seems that your father has been busy all the time?Who will marry your father and daughter?

Don't worry, the sixth ceremony "Personal Greeting" is the highlight, and you, the heroine, will finally make an appearance.

Counting the days, the sixth day of April is here. You get up early in the morning and leave your bedroom, thinking about the busyness at home, but everyone is calm and relaxed, including your mother and sister, what should you do? What are you doing, don't panic at all.You are so angry that you really want to look up to the sky and shout: Auntie, I am getting married today!The bridegroom officer will come to pick him up in a while, why are you not ready yet!
Even if you really yell out, it is likely that your family will look down upon you: I have never seen such an impatient new wife!Husband and son-in-law only come to greet us at dusk, so what are you yelling about early in the morning?

Ah...it's only at night...really...why?
Why, your family members don't know, they can only say that it is an ancient ritual passed down from the old life, from the beginning of the world to the present.In fact, this is a remnant of the customs of the "marriage snatching system" in primitive tribal society. At that time, when a man and a woman married, the man took his brothers to the woman's house to snatch the wife.Since it is a door-to-door robbery, of course it is best when the moon is dark and the wind is high. The ancient wedding ceremony was originally called "Hun Li", and the word "hun" for "Twilight" was added later.

Gossip aside, your family has a whole day of preparation anyway, cleaning the inside and outside of the house, placing decorations and meals, welcoming guests, and distributing sticks, knives and guns.As for you, a few aunts and sisters helped you put on the wedding dress and make your hair. After tossing inside and out, you were put on heavy clothes. When you opened your eyes and looked at yourself, you were startled, and then shouted: "You guys Wrong for me! This dress is blue!"

In the blue sky, how can anyone get married in a blue dress?Shouldn't it be Da Hong Xi Fu?The aunts and sisters who looked up and saw you rolled their eyes and shook their heads and muttered: "This woman is crazy." I didn't bother to talk to you, so I just inserted hairpins into the bun on your head.

As for you, because your father has been a petty official of the sixth rank and lower than the ninth rank, according to the etiquette system, you can wear a "big-sleeved dress" to marry.Looking in the mirror, this troublesome dress includes: a dark blue long-sleeved gown, plain yarn one-piece underwear, "knee coverings" around the abdomen, large and small belts, socks, and cloth shoes are also dark blue.When commoner girls get married, they wear dark blue clothes with a little less decorations, so please wait a few hundred years for red wedding clothes and so on.

You can wear a pair of "bo temples" covering your ears, and then fill them with gold and silver miscellaneous treasures, flower hairpins and hairpins.The Fengguanxiapei is not allowed to be used indiscriminately, it is only qualified to be worn by high-level traversers.

What are you asking?What does the groom's clothes look like?Alas, what an impatient bride, won't you be able to see her after a while?Well, well, your husband Li Silang, because he is also the son of a junior official of the sixth or seventh rank, has two options for his wedding clothes: one is that as a son of the ninth rank or above, the official family stipulates that he can wear "juebian" when he gets married .This is a kind of official uniform, which requires a black tasseled crown, a blue robe, an orange-red skirt, a white gauze inner garment, a black belt, white socks and red shoes, and some other decorations.However, if the Li family wants to, they don’t have to wear this relatively dull and retro dress, but wear the "crime official uniform" like a commoner, that is, a red gauze singlet, a white inner skirt, and black boots, which are closer to the concept of modern people. The "Big Red Congratulations".This kind of groom's attire was very popular in the Tang Dynasty. At weddings, men wore red and women wore green. This is also the origin of the term "red men and green women".

According to the official regulations of the Tang Dynasty, when young men get married, they can wear dresses of higher grade than their own. This is called "shesheng", and it is also to show the government's attitude of encouraging marriage.

"Che Sheng" is not only manifested in dressing, the whole wedding process will be accompanied by the man's bragging and exaggerated words to deceive his wife...

The sun is setting, and the groom is ready to pick you up from home.Before setting off, he had to pay homage to his ancestors and inform everyone in the sky that he was going to take the population home.After kowtowing, his father stood next to the memorial tablet and issued an order: "Go to meet your wife and honor the ancestral temple!" (Go to pick up your wife and continue the incense to my house.)
The bridegroom kowtowed and said, "I dare not say goodbye." He got up on his horse, hugged a goose (goose/duck/wooden bird...), took several bridesmaids and a decorated wedding float, and tangled for dozens of times. Hundreds of strong men set out on the road in awe-inspiring manner, heading straight to the bride's house.

When a group of people arrived in front of your house with open fire, it was already night. I saw that the door of your house was closed and heavily guarded.

The groom dismounted, knocked on the door, and shouted with a clear voice: "Thieves come to attack, guests come to see. Report to sister-in-law, come out to see each other."

Across the gate, your family's seven aunts and eight aunts also spoke: "Where is the honored guest without interrogation, and the door is blocked at night? Where is the gentleman, where is the talent? The spirit is bright, why did you come?"

The bridegroom or bridesmaid replied: "This is a gentleman in Chang'an, a famous family in Chixian County. Therefore, I came to visit and talk about glory. My sister-in-law is as follows, how is your body?" Kind of like that?) This is to put aside the purpose of coming here and to be close at the same time.

The aunts and sisters-in-law in the door replied: "The well water in front of the court, the golden wood is the fence, the aunts and sisters-in-law are as follows, and they will be safe. The gentleman came here to ask, how is Wei Zhi's body?"
The man replied: "If you go down without talent, you will get to the highest school. You are all asked, and you can't win against Chen. It's more late at night, so we have met each other. If you have something to talk about, please don't do it." (Please ask me, others. I have business to do, please stop talking nonsense here.)
The aunts and sisters-in-law in the door laughed and asked: "Since you are a high-ranking gentleman, you are superior to the elite, and you don't judge your intentions, what do you want?" (Then what are you doing here?)
The man replied: "Heard the king's high-sounding words, so we come here to agree with each other. I am a fair lady, and a gentleman is very good." (He came to pick up his daughter-in-law.)
The smile in the door became even happier, and the sisters-in-law said: "You are waiting for your distinguished guests, and you will stand in front of the court for a long time. You have to ask more questions, what a waste of time?" (Do you think we are trivial?)
The man replied: "It's not that you are a slender middle school student who understands the book chapters. If you have any doubts, ask them. How can you waste time?" (You are all beauties and talented women. Asking us questions is to save face. How can we be so trivial ah haha...)
Hearing that the gentleman is sweet and talkative, the sisters-in-law are finally merciful: "It's hard to dispatch a guest, spread the mattress and spread the brocade bed, please get off the horse, and discuss it slowly." Promised to open the door?)

The groom got off his horse and stood in a daze in front of the gate—if he didn't open the door, would he have to climb over the wall or use a battering ram?
Of course not, here we have to recite poems, recite poems!
What are you singing?Of course, if the groom or bridesmaid is talented, it would be best if he could compose a poem now. If not, we have ready-made ones here, which cost 5 cents a piece (Hey! It is not allowed to sell private goods to cross-travel customers for tips and double charges !)... Well, I will give you a piece of "On Women's Gate Ci" for free:
"The cypress is Nanshan cypress, which will be used as the gate in the future. (This is to describe the material of the bride's gate, which is pure solid wood!) The gate is always there, and the girl is a temporary visitor. (The girl will go out sooner or later, so don't make things difficult for her husband. up.)”

After chanting the poem, the door opened with a crash.The groom was full of joy and wanted to go in, but was grabbed by an experienced bridesmaid and pushed him to the side—barely avoiding a big stick coming at him.

What is this for?Do you want to open a human flesh steamed stuffed bun shop?

① Dialect words, long-winded.

I saw a group of sturdy women with sticks rushing out from the gate of the woman's house, laughing and beating anyone they saw, especially when they spotted the groom, the officer cracked and beat him up, and the lady in charge shouted while beating: "The son-in-law is from the wife's family!" Dog, kill without question!"

A son-in-law can only dodge and beg for forgiveness, but cannot get angry, let alone fight back.You said didn't the groom bring a hundred or so strong men to protect him?Why don't you come up to fight at this time?Come on, those strong men will only cheer and applaud and laugh wildly at this time, and they don't care how much fun the bride's family makes "making a son-in-law".

The aunts and sisters-in-law were exhausted from beating, and if the groom was still alive, two more women came up to pour wine for the son-in-law, saying something in their mouths: "Wine is roseberry (grape) wine. In the future, I will be the envoy to the king. I will drink it and drink it. It will last for ten thousand years."

The man replied: "The wine is rose peach wine. Let the owner taste it first, and the sister-in-law doesn't want to taste it? The wine is spilled on the south wall." He waved his hand and poured it away.

Of course the woman quit: "The wine is rose peach wine, and it costs a thousand dollars for a bucket. (This wine is very expensive!) So I asked my sister-in-law, why did you spill my wine?"

The man replied: "There is a garden of leeks behind the house, but the mowing is still the same, so I asked my second sister-in-law why she used medicinal wine!"-You think I don't know that it is stuffed with Mongolian sweat medicine?

This son-in-law is not stupid.Enough tossing at the gate, let a group of people enter the courtyard, and have to chant poems in front of the middle gate!Sing it: "Tuanjin is used as the door leaf, and polished jade is used as the door knocker. Unlock the golden hook lock, and open the red sandalwood gate."—Yulan, open the door!

Entering the middle gate, there is another man-made pile in front of him, which is locked. The bridegroom holds his forehead and reads: "There is no rubble there. Why is this pile built? Not only with a shovel, but also with a jade pap. The glass is the four walls, and the jade is rubbed It is the foundation step. Why do you want to tighten it? It is not Mount Tai. I will borrow the key to open it temporarily, and I will let you go."

(End of this chapter)