中西方婚礼差异论文.doc

.山西大学商务学院外语系学年论文论文题目 浅析中西方婚礼文化差异 专业年级 英语（商务英语方向） 姓 名_任思楠_学 号_2012201120_指导教师_郝晓瑞_日 期 2015年6月 ;.;.Analysis on the Differences in Wedding Culture between China and Western Countries By Ren Sinan Business College of Shanxi UniversityJune, 2015ContentsAbstracti摘 要ii1. Introduction12. Literature review13. Different wedding cultures between China and Western countries23.1 Differences in wedding ceremony23.2 Differences in wedding dress and color tone33.3 Differences in wedding customs33.3.1 Differences in wedding banquet33.3.2 Differences in taboo wedding date33.3.3 Differences in wedding venues44. Causes of different Chinese and Western wedding customs44.1 Historic culture44.2 Religious belief44.3 Family Education54.4 Values55. Integration and development trend of China and Western wedding customs55.1 The integration between Chinese and Western wedding customs55.2 The reasons about integration between Chinese and Western wedding customs65.3 Development trend of Chinese and Western wedding customs65.4 Chinese and Western wedding custom and intercultural communication76. Conclusion7References8 ;.AbstractA wedding is a turning point in a persons life, but also an integral part of the culture, which plays an important role in economic globalization and the development of cultural diversity. Today, under the influence of different cultures, China and Western countries are gradually showing different wedding customs, this paper aims to explore the differences about wedding ceremony, the dress, wedding customs and so on between China and Western countries, and then analyze reasons from these four aspects: historic culture, religious belief, family education, values. etc. So we can promote the integration and exchange of China and Western countries, explore the development trend of cultural common ground.Key Words : different wedding culture ; reasons ; cultural exchange摘 要婚礼是一个人一生中的转折点，也是一种文化的有机组成部分，它在经济全球化与文化多元化发展中起着重要作用。如今，在不同文化熏陶下各国也逐渐的呈现出了不同的婚俗习惯，本文旨在对中西方婚礼的仪式、着装、婚俗的差异进行比较，进而从历史文化、宗教信仰等方面分析产生这些差异的原因，加大中西方不同文化交流与融合，探讨文化求同存异的发展趋势。关键词 :不同的婚礼文化；原因；文化交流;.Analysis on the Differences in Wedding Culture between China and Western CountriesName:Ren Sinan Tutor: Hao Xiaorui1. Introduction For any country, wedding culture is one of the important reflections of social culture. Wedding is one of the great important events in peoples life because of its special significance. It means a renewed life of a person. As China is becoming more and more advanced these years, the connection between China and Western countries becomes closer and closer. In order to get a better understanding of each other, there are a lot of people take exploration and analysis. All of them have made the important significance and influence, and have made a lot of achievements. This thesis aims to study Chinese and western different wedding custom to understand its related culture and history, promote the Chinese and western cultural exchange. Here the author first analyzes the origin of Chinese and western wedding culture. Second, the author has a detail discussion on its differences: The difference in wedding contractor, wedding location, wedding dress, and wedding processes. Then, the author analyzes the reasons which cause the differences between Chinese and Western wedding culture, and talks about the measures of promoting cultural exchange and integrationWedding, is a warm word, it opens the door to happy marriage for lovers , hold hands and grow old stories to be written from now. With the wedding is all sorts of wedding customs, which is due to different cultural backgrounds . Now, lets explore the differences in China and Western countries.2. Literature reviewConsidering the important role marriage plays for individuals, families and societies, numerous scholars and academicians have conducted researches on wedding from different perspectives. In general, researches on wedding can be divided into three categories. The first is the research on Chinese wedding, including the history of Chinese wedding, Chinese wedding customs of a certain place or of a certain period, the innovation and development of Chinese wedding customs. To name a few,Guo Xingwen published a book named The History of Chinese Marriage in 1994. In 2007, Wang Junyun wrote a book about marriage customs of each province in China. Yue Shuming(2009) gave an analysis of the inheritance and changes from traditional wedding customs to modern marriage customs. The second is the research on Western wedding. For instance, Liang Minyi(2009) explained the Western wedding customs in his paper published in Popular Culture and Arts. The third is the research on the comparison of Chinese and Western wedding and wedding customs. In 2008,Xi Xiao published a thesis named Comparison of Traditional Chinese and Western wedding Customs. In the same year, Xia Qiaohua analyzed the difference between Chinese and Western culture by the comparison of Chinese and Western marriage culture. It is obvious that my thesis belongs to the third category, which is rarely discussed in previous researches compared to the first and second categories. The innovation of my research lies in that my research combines wedding customs with culture. The thesis is not the simple description of Chinese and Western wedding customs. Instead, it is a exploration of the underlying reasons, including the influence of cultural factors. Thus, the research is insightful and meaningful. Besides, my research on the difference on Chinese and Western wedding customs has great significance on the development of mixed marriage and cross-cultural communication under the circumstance of economic globalization and regional integration.3. Different wedding cultures between China and Western countries3.1 Differences in wedding ceremony“Three letters and six rites ”and “three kowtows and nine prostrations ” are the basic etiquette of Chinese traditional Marriage. three letters is married instruments used in the process ,can be said to be valid when the ancient written records to protect marriage. Six rites is the process of six wedding etiquette: Nacai, name-inquiry, Naji, is satisfied that sign, please period and pro-Ying.Three kowtows and nine prostrations means that, first，the groom pick bride home and then start weddings ceremony: one preparing for the wedding, two prayer Diocese, husband and wife worship. So far, three worship is completed, imply they have received benediction from heaven and earth, ancestors and their parents, officially became husband and wife. Finally the couple into the bridal chamber, which is the climax of the wedding, the bride first to go and waiting for groom，After the guests are treated well，groom comes to the bridal chamber surrounded by a lot of people. Then the bride and groom do all sorts of interesting games with heckle from crowd. There are some wedding etiquette column, for example lift hijab, drink wedlock. In order to increase the festive atmosphere, the whole wedding process is carried out at the sound of firecrackers and joyful sound of music.In the West, people pursuit for the sacred and simple wedding,so the wedding is usually held in a quiet, peaceful church.Under the auspices of the priest, the couple get Gods approval and blessing. First, the bride holding his fathers hand in lead of the flower girl, along with the rhythm of the wedding march into the church, the father solemnly handed the bride and groom hands. Then, the couple want a solemn oath: “Starting today have each other, support each other, whether it is good or bad, rich or poor, in sickness and in health, to love one another cherish, till death do us part. Then under the pastor and all the blessings, exchange rings and kiss each other, at the end of the wedding, the bride will throw the ball in the hands of the flower of the female guests arrived at the scene, who received the bouquet means who is the next to marry. After the ceremony, when the couple out of the church, church bells rang, meaning get rid of bad luck, or good fortune in order to protect the couples life. At the same time there are wedding groomsmen, bridesmaids, wedding bridesmaids, boys notion stems from a belief that evil specter of jealousy happy couple will hurt them, but if there are many people like the wedding dress you can confuse the ghost, so they can not tell who will get married.3.2 Differences in wedding dress and color toneColor plays an important role in the wedding. Red is a symbol of Chinese tradition, a symbol of joy, happiness, and good luck, it is the main color throughout the traditional Chinese wedding, on behalf of the newlyweds married life is booming. On the couples house to hang red lanterns, paste red couplets. Bride usually wears red, heads phoenix coronet, then covers red scarf. The groom wears a red gown jacket, wearing a large brimmed red hat. Dragon and phoenix patterns on the clothes are essential, according to Chinese tradition, the dragon symbol of male, female phoenix symbol, are harbingers of good luck. The bride sat red sedan in the post, the groom rode in front, with the matchmaker and wedding team to the grooms home chapel, both parents sitting on the church, and the bride and groom to marry the next hall.In the West, white is the main color of the wedding, in Western cultures, white symbolizes luck, peace, goodwill, wealth and virginity. In Western wedding, the newlyweds like to wear a white wedding dress, standing for the loyalty and their holiness, the groom is a trim suit. The new house is decorated in white, with a white wedding cake and a white wedding car, all white goods are the most popular Western-style wedding decorations.3.3 Differences in wedding customs3.3.1 Differences in wedding banquetIn China, the traditional wedding banquet is a very grand banquet, usually held at noon. On the feast, the bride and groom toast to the guests to each table separately, and their parents have to do same things ,too. Expressing gratitude and welcome to the guests arrived at the scene. Guests who only eat and drink, chat, go home after dinner. Chinese wedding banquet costs are generally paid by the groom.However, in the west, after the wedding ceremony, they hold a grand wedding banquet, called reception. Usually in the form of a buffet, wedding paid for by the bride. With the bride and groom first dance,banquet to start, but also to celebrate the beginning of their new life. All guests are dancing with beautiful music. It is worth mentioning that in America, guests attended the wedding banquet do not gifts of gold generally, sent items only . In the Internet age today, the guests choose gifts according to the directory of required items released by the couple online, once selected, the network will automatically delete the item record, avoid wasteful duplicate gifts.3.3.2 Differences in taboo wedding dateChinese wedding date should avoid the March, July, September, the three months have Halloween, not suitable for a wedding. Also avoid “sanniangsha”, is the 3 , 7, 13, 18, 22, 27 of each month, legends “sanniang”is specialized to oppose joking , destroy other peoples wedding, so joking does not play matchmaker for “sanniang”. In addition, do not choose a wedding date of parents birthdays, these will not be the same auspicious day, not marriage.Western wedding date avoid the period of Lent and Friday, the 13th. Friday is an unlucky number, legends, a lot has happened on this day, God created Adam, Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit, their son Cain killed his brother Abel, these series bad things make Friday as a bad day. In the Last Supper, Judas who is the thirteenth people to attend the dinner betrayed Jesus, since then, thirteen is a symbol of ominous.3.3.3 Differences in wedding venuesAs the most important day of the life, as a new starting point for happy lovers, Chinese peoples weddings are grand . In ancient times, people will hold banquet in their own home or in a restaurant to entertain friends and family as a witness for the couple. In contemporary China, the couple usually invite friends and family to go to a hotel or guest house. In the West, people are generally hold wedding ceremony in a church or other relatively quiet place. It is well-organized, not like Chinese wedding lively. Western wedding highlight solemn and holy pursuit of romance and reality combine.4. Causes of different Chinese and Western wedding customs4.1 Historic cultureBased on private ownership in the Chinese feudal society, marriage is feudalism social hierarchy levels, which are often based on the conclusion of the Confucian yin and yang of hierarchy theory as the basis for the patriarchal order as a criterion, and throughout the marriage ceremony set . Love status in Chinese traditional socio-cultural structure is very low, it is considered secondary. Because deeply influenced by the ideology ethics, marriage function is single, only from offspring, expand the role of the family, Chinese traditional marriage is strong feudal color into the so-called “natural fit”and“orders of their parents, the matchmakers words”,“five elements, character and harmony”, etc.Marriage and interference concerns more, all of which highlight the political influence of feudal society, even in the 21st century, which is firmly rooted in the concept of marriage.Most western countries are capitalist countries, subject to a profound impact on wedding customs, its unique historical and cultural origins, individual thinking, emphasizes Western men and women are Gods sons and daughters.Different historical and cultural backgrounds, the West has become open, independent and dignified, while China is conservative, traditional and lively. These features can be fully reflected in wedding customs. For example, Chinas traditional wedding will invite many guests, livelier feel better, and the West is more like a simple and solemn wedding.4.2 Religious beliefIn China, most people believe in Buddhism, for instance, people respect dragon .but now only comply with constraints of traditional moral values, under the influence of Confucian culture, the relationship between husband and wife are not equal, but the status of women than men, and then with patriarchal bad habits.In contrast, in Western society, peoples religion is very clear, at the time of the wedding, according to their own religious rites to be held. They think that love itself is a value, which is the most influential Christian religion. Christians believe that marriage is a gift from God. With the marriage of people to experience Gods love, realize covenant between God and man. Covenant is unconditional commitment to each other, rather than on the principle of reciprocity, to today, it has become the ethics of free love marriage relationship. Western marriage will attach great importance to personal freedom, the development of humanity and nature. Christianity emphasizes the equality of the sexes, all are Gods children, no affiliation, patriarchal concept of fertility is not there.4.3 Family EducationWesterners generally believe that the child is an independent individual; parents should not control their behaviors. No matter what the circumstances, adults should listen, understand and respect the child. Parents will not interfere with the childs marital problems. So they decide who to marry, to prepare their own wedding, the parents do not help them buy a car or pay for wedding expenses.In contrast, Chinese parents are worried about their children, they arrange everything for them, even decide who they marry to. With their own savings to help children buy cars, buy a house, hold wedding.4.4 ValuesChinese peoples collective Values higher than Individualism. Marriage is seen as the main problem of the family, rather than one thing of one people. The purpose of marriage is to reproduce, maintain and improve the familys honor and status. Thus, taking into account the welfare of the family, people always choose to ignore their true feelings.Westerners think the value of the individual above all, they pursuit of personal development and personal interests, not someone else could control. They choose a marriage partner because of their feelings rather than family benefits or family honor.5. Integration and development trend of China and Western wedding customsWith the rapid economic development and international exchanges in the process of globalization, China and the West collision and fusion of different cultures. Cultural integration is the inevitable result of cultural development. Evolution of wedding customs in Western countries is a historical necessity, which reflects the cultural development of human society.5.1 The integration between Chinese and Western wedding customsIn the world, Chinese wedding is more and more popular. Some foreigners are in accordance with Chinese wedding ceremony style. Although the wedding decorations, such as wedding car decoration is western, but someone say there are a lot of Chinese elements of their wedding, for example, Chinese knot, red lanterns, red candles, couplets, these will increase the festive atmosphere, whats more, in Western wedding, they use invitations.In China, the bride usually have two groups dress that wear on the wedding day .In the wedding ceremony ,the bride will wear a white wedding dress, which can