Wedding traditions of East Asia
Tea ceremony and red packets, san-san-kudo and the pyebaek, the lucky day and the double happiness. 18 traditions on EveryShaadi so far.
Countries
🇨🇳 China 8🇭🇰 Hong Kong 0🇯🇵 Japan 11🇲🇴 Macau 0🇲🇳 Mongolia 1🇰🇵 North Korea 4🇰🇷 South Korea 7🇹🇼 Taiwan 0
Cities and towns
On the calendar
Japan, the spring wedding seasonJapan, the autumn wedding seasonChina, the autumn wedding seasonTaian, the luckiest daySon-eomneun-nal, days without evil spirits8/8, the double luck date9/9, the long-lasting date520, "I love you" day10/10, the perfect date2/22 and other repeated datesThe Chinese almanac and lucky wedding daysGhost Month
🇰🇷 South Korea and 5 moreBlessing ceremony of the Unification ChurchHoly Marriage Blessing Ceremony (축복결혼식)
A large-scale marriage rededication or new union ceremony that engrafts couples into a sinless lineage.Rite · Engagement and betrothal
🇰🇷 Seoul, South Korea and 3 moreBlessing ceremony
The large-scale marriage rite of the Unification Church where couples are matched and blessed by their leaders.Rite · The ceremony
🇯🇵 Tokyo, JapanMizuhiki水引
The knotted paper cord that adorns Japanese wedding gifts and envelopesAdornment · Engagement and betrothal
🇯🇵 JapanTamagushitamagushi (玉串)
A decorated sakaki branch offered to kami during Shinto wedding ceremonies and other rites.Rite · The ceremony
🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreJokduri족두리
A traditional Korean coronet worn by women during weddings and other special occasions.Attire · The ceremony
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreRed Thread of Fate姻緣紅線
An invisible cord that links destined lovers across time and distance.Blessing
🇰🇷 South KoreaBlack DayBlack Day (Korean: 블랙데이)
A South Korean day for singles to gather and eat black bean noodles after missing Valentine's and White Day gifts.Feast custom · The weeks before
🇰🇷 Seoul, South Korea and 1 moreMarriage in KoreaKorean marriage (결혼)
A look at how Korean weddings blend ancient Confucian rites with modern legal practices.Rite · Finding a match
🇯🇵 Onomichi, JapanRibbon Chapelリボンチャペル
A glass-walled wedding venue in Onomichi with twin staircases that symbolize the bond of marriage.Setting · The ceremony
🇰🇷 South KoreaHwarot활옷
The embroidered Korean gown worn by brides during the pyebaek ceremony.Attire · Reception, dance and gifts
🇨🇳 ChinaNaked marriage裸婚 (luǒhūn)
A wedding without a house, car, or ring, chosen by couples in China for love and financial necessity.Modern · The weeks before
🇯🇵 Tokyo, JapanShinto wedding神前結婚 (Shinzen kekkon)
A Shinto purification ritual featuring sake sharing and kimono attire held at a shrine or venue.Rite · The ceremony
🇯🇵 JapanShūgi-bukuro祝儀袋
The decorative envelope used to present monetary gifts at Japanese weddings and celebrations.Gift custom · Reception, dance and gifts
🇨🇳 Beijing, China and 1 moreMarriage market
Public spaces where families gather to find spouses for their children through listings and brokers.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇨🇳 ChinaJiaobeijiu交杯酒
The ancient Chinese rite of sharing wine from linked cups to seal a marriage.Rite · The ceremony
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreBride buying
The exchange of money or goods for a woman to become a wife.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal
🇯🇵 Tokyo, JapanSame-sex marriage in Japan同性結婚 (dōsei kekkon)
The legal battle and local partnership systems for same-sex couples in JapanModern
🇯🇵 JapanMiai見合い (Miai)
A traditional Japanese matchmaking meeting where a man and woman consider marriage with the help of a go-between.Betrothal · Finding a match
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Miai: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Shinto wedding: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Shūgi-bukuro: Nesnad, CC BY 4.0, source
- Marriage market: Tim Sheerman-Chase, CC BY 2.0, source
- Marriage in Korea: Jérôme Banal ( Eden2004 ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ribbon Chapel: メルビル, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Blessing ceremony of the Unification Church: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Blessing ceremony: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mizuhiki: User:FA2010, Public domain, source
- Tamagushi: Urashimataro, Public domain, source
- Jokduri: derivative work: Caspian blue ( talk ) Korean_dance-Jinju_pogurakmu-01, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Black Day: by 아침꿀물 at Flickr, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Same-sex marriage in Japan: User:Jedi Friend, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hwarot: Unknown author, No restrictions, source