Weddings, food, music,
etc. are representations of Hakka culture that are close to the lives of
ordinary people, and also a moving chapter in Hakka life. "Hakka Weddings
and Parties" event in Kaohsiung City has been included in the 12 Festivals
of Hakka Villages six years ago. At this event, everyone can experience the diversity
of Hakka culture through traditional wedding ceremonies, special culinary
feasts, Hakka concerts, and Hakka lifestyle.
Every ritual of the
Hakka weddings, from the pre-wedding blind date, the engagement, to the
wedding, not only indicates blessings for the
new couple, but also allows modern people to understand the meaning of
traditional marriage customs and practices.
Hakka cuisine is the
fastest way to get to know Hakka culture. Hakka banquet cuisine allows
participating family and friends to enjoy unique Hakka delicacies during the
weddings.
After the first Hakka
Blue Shirt Group wedding was held in Kaohsiung City in 2013, the event has been
held annually, attracting many Hakka and non-Hakka young couples to take part in
traditional Hakka weddings. The weddings are held in the autumn harvest season
in November to symbolize a good marriage blooming and bearing fruit.
According to the unique customs of ancient Hakka weddings, usually a new couple must go through four procedures to become husband and wife – negotiating the marriage, setting the wedding day, getting engaged, and welcoming the bride.
Negotiating the Marriage
In the past, men and
women were not allowed to fall in love and date freely. They must obey the
wishes of their parents and follow the instructions of the matchmaker. Whether
two people can get married was based on the following conditions: first, the
two families’ backgrounds are scrutinized; second, the families’ wealth is
assessed; third the talents and ability of the man and the woman are evaluated;
fourth, the appearance of both parties is judged; and fifth, their physical
health gets checked.
Marriage negotiation
involves sending the woman's birth stats (including the date and hour of birth)
written on a piece of paper known as “Gengtie (庚帖)” to the
man's house. The man then puts the Gengtie on his home’s altar honoring gods
and ancestors. If all is well in the three subsequent days, the man's Gengtie
is sent to the woman's house. If the woman and her family agree, then the
couple can marry. But if during those three days after the man’s family
receives the woman’s Gengtie, something breaks in his home or someone in his
family gets sick, that would be considered bad luck, and the man’s family can
ask the matchmaker to return the woman’s Gengtie to her family, rejecting the
marriage proposal.
Setting the Wedding Day
A month before the wedding, the man’s family invites an astrological consultant or Feng Shui expert to select an auspicious day for the marriage. Once a day has been selected, the matchmaker informs the woman’s family, asks them for their consent, and makes the various arrangements for the wedding. After choosing the day, it is written in a marriage book, which amounts to a contract, and sent to the woman’s family.
The Engagement
With the consent of the
two parties, accompanied by the matchmaker, the
man’s family, including the prospective groom, carry money, cakes, gold
jewelry, cigarettes, candy, betel nuts, incense sticks, candles, and firecrackers to the woman's home as gifts. During the engagement ceremony, the bride,
in a new dress, is led out to her family’s living room by a woman called *“All
Happiness Matron,” who guides the bride-to-be in serving sweet tea to the
guests, after which she immediately returns to her room.
*All Happiness Matron: Also known as auspicious woman, is a woman who is happily married, with her in-laws, husband, and children still alive. This woman is hired by the bride’s family and symbolizes happiness. She must appear during both the engagement and the wedding ceremonies.
Welcoming the Bride
Because ancient Hakka wedding ceremonies are thought to be too complicated, modern day wedding ceremonies have been greatly simplified.