Tea Ceremony in Traditional Chinese Wedding
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Chinese enjoy the taste and cultural significance of tea for more than 4000 years ago. It is served in all traditional festivals and it symbolizes a sense of respect in the Chinese culture. Tea ceremony is an important part in Traditional weeding ceremony in Chinese culture.
Tea ceremony is arranged on the day of the wedding with all members of the family. In this ceremony bride is formally introduce to the groom�s family. It takes place in both the respective house of the bride and the groom. The groom side performs the tea ceremony in the morning and it is perform at the bride�s residence in the afternoon.
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The manner of serving the tea is also extremely important in the Chinese wedding ceremony. First, tea is served to the parents, then to the grandparents, grand uncles and aunts, uncles and aunts, elder brothers and sisters and then finally to the elder cousins. An emotional bond of love and attachment is conveyed through this custom by the bride to her parents before the arrival of the groom. It signifies the love and gratitude for all the love and gratitude showered upon her in the past days. A relative or the sister of the groom helps in serving the tea and assist in washing the cups.
Tea set is considered as a special gift. Parents of the bride pay the price for the tea set and it is a part of dowry for their daughter. Tea set is a treasure because it is passed on from one generation to the next. The same tea set is use in the future at the time of the marriage of their daughter. Some of the popular designs of tea set generally preferred in a Chinese wedding ceremony are gold trimmings, flowery designs, dragons or peony designs and the double happiness design.
Tea flavor symbolizes a sweet and a happy life for the newly married couple. Different sweet flavor have different symbolic meanings. Tea made of Longans and red dates symbolize a good wish to bear a male child to the married couple. Apart from this, a special tea prepared from Lotus seeds and red dates symbolize that the newly married couple will bear child as soon as possible.
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