Wedding Customs
01 · Historical Records
After the twentieth century, Hezhen marriage customs were influenced by the Manchu, Han, and other peoples and underwent further development.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The Hezhen people are one of the ethnic groups of China with a small population. They live along the banks of the Heilongjiang, Wusuli, and Songhua rivers and have made their living from fishing and hunting for generations; their traditional wedding customs have continued to the present day and are mainly transmitted in the Jiejinkou Hezhen Township and the Bacha Hezhen Township of Tongjiang City, Heilongjiang Province. In earlier times, the Hezhen had the custom of choosing a son-in-law through competition: skills such as wrestling, boating, skiing, archery, fishing, and hunting were the main criteria for selecting a groom — a natural selection under the fishing-and-hunting mode of production. Once the betrothal was settled, betrothal gifts had to be presented; the amount of the gifts depended on the family's wealth — usually a pig and a case of wine, with wealthy households adding a horse and a sable skin. Three or four days before the wedding, the matchmaker brought the groom to deliver the gifts to the bride's family; the groom performed three kowtows to his parents-in-law, and the matchmaker offered a toast and announced the date for fetching the bride. The betrothal gifts were delivered in two installments. The first was called guo xiaoli (the small gift), known in the Hezhen language as 'Miaoku Maoren': the man's side sent wine and meat to the woman's family, inviting the woman's elderly close relatives to drink together and to settle both the date of the grand gift and the wedding date. As the wedding approached, an auspicious day was chosen for the grand gift, called in Hezhen 'Sarilaini': the groom's parents, the matchmaker, and relatives carried the gifts to the bride's home, and the bride's family also invited relatives to take part. Although Hezhen production and daily life have changed greatly, the fishing-and-hunting customs remain deeply imprinted in people's hearts. When fetching the bride, a decorated boat is used in summer and a sled in winter — a custom formed in adaptation to the natural environment. On the wedding day, the groom is dressed in red and green, and a woman who has both sons and daughters serves as the quqinpo ('bride-fetching woman'). After the bride is brought back, the wedding celebration is held: the newlyweds first bow to heaven and earth, then bow to their parents; then a Hezhen elder holding a reed staff wrapped in red cloth points at the newlyweds and admonishes them, signifying that after marriage they should be filial to the elderly, respect the husband, love and respect each other, and manage the household. The wedding banquet centers on a fish feast, including dressed raw fish, raw fish slices, raw fish curls, grilled fish, clear-stewed river fish, fish balls, and fish floss. After three rounds of wine, people begin to sing Yimakan and Jialingkuo, play the mouth harp (kouxianqin), dance the swan dance, and tell huli stories, fully savoring the festive atmosphere. Hezhen marriage customs carry the practical reckoning of river-dwelling households. The amount of the betrothal gifts depended on the family's wealth — usually a pig and a case of wine, with wealthy households adding a horse and a sable skin. The gifts were delivered in two installments: the first, called guo xiaoli, known in Hezhen as 'Miaoku Maoren', involved the man's side sending wine and meat to the woman's family and inviting the woman's elderly close relatives to drink together and settle the date of the grand gift and the wedding; as the wedding approached, a day was chosen for the grand gift, called in Hezhen 'Sarilaini', when the groom's parents, the matchmaker, and relatives carried the gifts to the bride's home, and the bride's family also invited relatives to take part. After the twentieth century, the customs acquired a further layer of development under the influence of the Manchu, Han, and other peoples. The manner of fetching the bride changed with the seasons: a decorated boat in summer, a sled in winter — a custom formed in adaptation to the natural environment. Only after the third cup did the banquet table truly warm up: Yimakan and Jialingkuo were sung in alternation, the mouth harp buzzing in answer between the fingers, and the swan dance and huli storytelling interspersed; the liveliness of the wedding reached its peak only at this point.
Choosing the groom by contest
The bridegroom was once chosen on wrestling, rowing, skiing, archery, fishing and hunting, all natural tests of a fishing-hunting livelihood.
The first betrothal gift
Three or four days before the wedding the matchmaker carries the groom to the bride's home, where he bows three times and learns the date.
The great betrothal gift
A second gift, called salilaini, is brought close to the wedding by the parents and kin of the groom, while the bride's relatives are gathered too.
Colourful boat or sledge
A boat in summer, a sledge in winter, the choice following the environment; the groom wears red and green and is escorted by a woman with living children.
Bowing and the reed-cane charge
The couple bow to heaven and earth, then to the parents, and an elder points at them with a red-wrapped reed cane to charge them with care, respect and thrift.
The fish banquet and the yimakan
The feast is all fish, from raw and sliced to grilled and steamed; after the third cup come yimakan and marriage songs, mouth harp, swan dance and xuli tales.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
In the course of long development, Hezhen marriage customs have merged with folk music, song and dance, and handicraft techniques; combined with local customs, they have produced a joyous and warm sequence of marriage and wedding ceremonies, adding color to China's marriage-custom culture and serving as a vivid witness to the exchange, blending, and mutual learning among China's marriage customs.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Wedding Customs · Wedding Customs · Wedding Customs · Wedding Customs · Wedding Customs · Wedding Customs · Wedding Customs · Wedding Customs · Wedding Customs · Wedding Customs.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Today, skill in fishing and hunting and prowess in production remain important criteria for choosing a groom. Hezhen marriage customs are transmitted by the social community as a whole and constitute important evidence for the study of Hezhen social life, spiritual beliefs, and production economy.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Anfucheng 04-1986
- Mojinghai 05-3058
- Lan Yugen 05-3059
- Lei Qisong
- Wu Yumei
- Fang Weihua
- Guojinglin
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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