A Modern Chinese Wedding

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A Modern Chinese Wedding Modern Chinese weddings performed in America are vastly different from traditional Chinese weddings, partly because the traditional practices are too complicated. This change in style also reflects the changing societal attitudes of a newer generation of Chinese Americans. Many of the complicated traditional practices are either being simplified or removed. “Three Covenants and Six Rites”[1] are not necessary elements for a marriage anymore. Instead, many elements and procedures are being replaced with a Western style, involving a Western wedding dress and ceremony followed by a reception. However, there are still traditional elements that take place in modern Chinese weddings. Many of the traditional practices that have survived the test of time include the “hair dressing” ritual, the use of firecrackers as a display, and ending with the worshipping of ancestors. Many of these traditional elements and practices involve bringing good luck to a new marriage. In many Chinese-American families, the parents are educated in Chinese cultures, whereas their children go to western schools and are greatly influenced by Western culture. Due to the different environments that they were raised in, they usually have different thoughts on having a wedding ceremony. Chinese parents tend to encourage their children to have a traditional wedding, whereas their children desire a more Western type wedding. My cousin Alex Ng and his wife Ly Chan were both raised in Chinese-American families. Their parents wanted them to have a Chinese wedding. However, Alex and Ly did not because it would exclude many of their American friends that do not speak Chinese or understand many of the traditional Chinese practices. The best solution for this conflict would be to have a compromise, which is to have a modern Chinese Wedding that combines both Chinese traditions
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