【正文】 oor before the groom, and if she tripped or stumbled it was seen to be very bad luck, hence it became a duty for the groom to carry his new bride over the threshold. The ring has significant meaning in western wedding. The Greeks believed that the third finger was connected to the heart by the “vein of love.” Thus this finger bees the place for the ring in western wedding. The tradition of having both bridesmaids and ushers present during a ceremony derives from the Roman law that mandated there be ten witnesses present at the ceremony for the purpose of fooling the evil spirits who were believed to cause mischief. The bridesmaids and groomsmen would be dressed in clothing matching identical to the bride and groom, thus keeping the evil spirits from figuring out who was actually getting married. D. Some Symbolic things 1. In China Gongs and drums: The groom goes to obtain his bride. Firecrackers, gongs, and drums signal the start of the procession. A child: Acpany the groom was a child, omen of future sons, the bridal sedan chair, attendants with lanterns and banners, musicians, and a “dancing” lion or unicorn. The chopsticks: Because traditions vary from region to region, there are some cases in which the groom stops to have dinner with the bride’s family. There he would receive a pair of chopsticks and two wine goblets wrapped in red paper. These gifts are symbolic of his receiving the joy of the family in the person of their daughter. The egg: In some regions, the groom would be presented with other symbolic gifts such as sweet, longan, tea, two hardboiled eggs in syrup and transparent noodles. Yet another regional custom is the groom’s given soup with a soft boiled egg. He is expected to break the yolk of egg as a symbol of break the bride’s ties with her family. The red mat: After arriving the groom’s house, the chair is heavily curtained to prevent the bride from seeing anything which could be unlucky. Firecrackers: Firecrackers frighten away evil spirits. Grain or beans: Attendants scattered grain or beans, symbols of fertility, before the bride, while others might have shielded the bride with a parasol and tossed rice. The mirror: A sieve to strain out evil and a metallic mirror to reflect light are suspended at the rear of the bride’s sedan. A special mirror might also have been attached to the bride’s garment, not to be removed until she was safely seated upon the marriage bed. 2. In Western Countries Flowers: In western wedding ceremony, flowers can be found everywhere. The presence of flowers in the wedding ceremony symbolizes fertility, new life and never ending love. Pieces of the bride’s clothing: Attendants and spectators to the weddings would try to tear away pieces of the bride’s clothing and flowers in hopes of gaining some of this fortune. The bouquet: Often times the bride would toss her bouquet into the crowd to distract them in her attempt to get away. Thus it bees monplace for the bride to toss the bouquet and it is believed that the woman who catches it would be the next to be blessed with marriage. The rice: Attendants often throw rice to the new couple. Rice was a symbol of fertility and a wish for a “full pantry.” Bubbles, confetti or flower pe tals have since been replaced rice because of its danger to birds that eat it. The kiss: In Roman times a kiss was seen as a legal bond that sealed all contracts, and has bee a staple ending to a wedding ceremony. The vow: The vow is particular in Western wedding ceremony, “To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part. Anyone who said this sentence should fulfill the duty of the marriage. Honey and wine: Honey and wine is the symbol of abundance of children, if the bride gave birth to a baby ten months after the wedding ceremony, it is the great honor of the wine maker. Ⅳ. The Cultural Comparison in Post Wedding Ritual After the wedding ceremony, the new couples have some particular ways to start their new life. In China, the bride will return to visit the bride’s parents with her husband. While in western countries, honeymoon is very popular. A. Bride’s Return in China On the day after the wedding, the bride awakes early to honor the ancestors. It is only then that she is formally introduced to the groom’s relatives and friends. She kneels before each of the older relatives, from whom she receives a small gift. According to her husband’s seniority, the bride’s parents inlaw gives her a title. Traditionally, the newlyweds are to return to visit the bride’s parents one or three days dafter the wedding. They will be hailed with a banquet and it is the bridegroom’s turn to suffer teasing of the bride’s relatives and For the first time, the bride was received as a guest. Nowadays, a song named the Bride’s Return in China is very popular. It describes the picture of bride’s return vividly and dramatically. This song describes the new wife’s journey to her parents’ home. She puts on new clothes, wears a red flower to make she more beautiful. Moreover, she doesn’t fet to bring some presents to her parents, a chicken and a duck. Unfortunately, with the ing of the strong wind and heavy rain, all of her preparations are damaged: the clothes get wet, the chicken and duck fly away. It’s so terrible that she doesn’t know how to go back to meet her parents. This song is very interesting and it presents the Chinese marriage tradition vividly. The bride is so urgent and happy on her way to her parents’ home. Her sufficient