Junior Rasmussen
Chinese wedding dresses have a long history with various colours and styles depending on the time period and dynasty. The colour and style of a Chinese wedding dress can vary depending on the region, religion, and personal preference of the bride and groom. In this paragraph, we will explore the different colours that are commonly associated with Chinese wedding dresses and the cultural significance that they hold.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Traditional colours | Red, black, green, blue, gold |
| Modern colours | Red, gold, purple, pink, peach, orange, yellow |
| Colours to avoid | White, black, cream, grey, navy |
| Parts of the dress | Jacket (gua), long skirt (qun), upper garment (ao), lower skirt (mangchu) |
| Types of dress | Qungua, cheongsam, fengguan xiapei, Xiuhefu |
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What You'll Learn
Red wedding dresses
In Chinese culture, the colour red is synonymous with happiness, fortune, and success. It is therefore common for brides to wear red wedding dresses, particularly during the Lunar New Year, a time that symbolises new beginnings. The tradition of wearing red wedding dresses has existed since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). During the Ming Dynasty, brides wore red, while grooms wore green, blue, or red. In the Song Dynasty, brides wore green, and grooms wore red.
However, in Chinese costume dramas, the bride and groom usually wear bright red clothing, regardless of the historical period. Red is also a common colour for the Qipao or Qun Kwa dress. Gold is another lucky colour in Chinese culture, symbolising wealth and fortune, so it is also common for brides to wear gold at some point during their wedding.
Although red is a popular colour for wedding dresses in China, white wedding dresses are also becoming more common, despite white being symbolic of death in Chinese culture. Black is also traditionally a colour of mourning, although it was the colour of wedding dresses in China from the Western Zhou to the Qin and Han dynasties, along with the Wei-Jin and Southern and Northern dynasties.
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Gold accessories
The traditional Chinese wedding dress, also known as a Qun Kwa or Cheongsam, is typically red, a colour associated with happiness and good fortune. However, gold is another lucky colour in Chinese culture, symbolising wealth, fortune, power, and longevity. Gold accessories and jewellery have been part of Chinese weddings since ancient times, although only royalty and dignitaries could afford them in the past.
The type of gold jewellery given to the bride varies by group. For example, Cantonese and Hakka families give "Dragon and Phoenix Bangles", while Chiu Chow and Hokkien people give the "Four Pieces of Gold", a set of four items: a necklace, bracelet, ring, and earrings. These gold accessories are traditionally given by the groom's family as part of the bride price, symbolising that the bride is welcomed as a treasured member of their family.
Modern brides have influenced style and design, and jewellers have taken note. For example, electroforming technology has improved the hardness of 24K gold, enabling more intricate designs and gemstone settings.
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Black and red
Red is a popular colour for Chinese wedding dresses, symbolising happiness, romance, celebration, and good fortune. It is believed to be the luckiest and most auspicious colour in China, bringing great luck and success to the marriage. The colour is also thought to protect against evil spirits. In ancient China, the Zhou Dynasty wedding dress was mainly black with light red details, symbolising the coexistence of heaven and earth. The Qin and Han Dynasties that followed also featured black wedding dresses with red details.
In modern Chinese weddings, black is associated with death and sadness, making it a taboo colour for traditional weddings. However, more and more modern brides are considering black as a bold option for their wedding dress, perhaps adorned with gold or silver sequins. Black can represent power and sophistication, and black dresses are gaining popularity.
Red remains a popular choice, with crimson, burgundy, and berry shades of red cheongsam dresses being ideal for Chinese weddings. Red is also the colour of the Qun Kwa dress, another Chinese wedding dress style. Red is often paired with gold stiletto shoes to create a festive and cheerful style.
Overall, while black is becoming a more accepted colour for modern Chinese weddings, red remains a traditional and popular choice, symbolising joy, celebration, and good fortune.
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Green for the bride
While red is the most well-known wedding colour in Chinese culture, green is also one of the traditional colours for Chinese wedding dresses. In the Tang and Song dynasties, brides wore green, while grooms wore red. This is reflected in the saying "红男绿女" (Hong Nan Lv Nv), which means "red man, green woman".
In ancient China, the colour green was associated with positive energy and new beginnings. It symbolises vitality, life, harmony, and compassion. Today, green is a popular choice for modern Chinese brides, with many cheongsams and other wedding dresses coming in various shades of green.
In the Qing dynasty, brides wore a set of attire called fengguan xiapei, which included a python jacket and a python skirt. The skirt could be either red or green and was embroidered with dragons and phoenixes.
During the Ming dynasty, the official uniforms were divided into three ranks: the highest rank was red, the middle rank was blue, and the lowest rank was green. This may have influenced the tradition of wearing green during the Song and Tang dynasties, as well as the modern practice of choosing green as a wedding dress colour.
Although red is the most common colour for Chinese wedding dresses, green is a traditional and meaningful choice that represents new beginnings and positive energy. It is a suitable option for brides who want to showcase their unique style and cultural heritage on their wedding day.
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White is a no-no
When it comes to Chinese wedding dresses, there are certain colours that are considered more auspicious than others. While modern Chinese brides may opt for a white wedding gown, traditionally, white is considered a big no-no for wedding attire in Chinese culture. This is because white is symbolic of death and mourning, along with black, navy, and grey. Wedding guests should avoid wearing these colours to a Chinese wedding, as they may be considered offensive to the couple and their families.
In Chinese culture, colour plays a significant role in various traditions and beliefs. While white is avoided due to its association with death, other colours are chosen for their positive connotations and symbolism. For instance, gold symbolises wealth and fortune and is commonly incorporated into Chinese weddings, whether through the bride's dress or accessories. Warmer colours like purple, pink, and peach are also popular, as they represent new life and happiness.
The colour red is often associated with Chinese weddings in popular culture, and this is not without reason. During the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties, brides typically wore red, which holds a festive meaning in China. However, prior to this, during the Tang and Song dynasties, green was the customary colour for brides, while grooms wore red. This tradition is reflected in the idiom "红男绿女" (Hong Nan Lv Nv), which literally translates to "red man, green woman".
While the specific colours may vary across different historical periods, the importance of colour in Chinese wedding attire remains consistent. It is essential to respect these traditions and avoid colours like white that may be considered disrespectful or inappropriate. As a guest attending a Chinese wedding, it is advisable to opt for colours that symbolise happiness and good fortune, ensuring that your choice of attire aligns with the joyous occasion.
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Frequently asked questions
The colour of the wedding dress in China has varied across history and depending on the dynasty. In the Western Zhou, Qin and Han dynasties, brides and grooms wore black with red details. During the Wei-Jin and Southern and Northern dynasties, black with red or white was common. In the Tang and Song dynasties, the bride wore green and the groom wore red. During the Ming dynasty, the bride wore red, and the groom wore green, blue or red. Red symbolises festivity in China, while gold symbolises wealth and fortune.
The qungua, also known as longfeng gua, guaqun or longfeng qungua, is a traditional style of Chinese wedding dress. It is composed of a jacket called a gua and a long qun, which is either straight-cut or has pleated sides. The qungua is still a popular form of wedding dress today. Another style is the cheongsam, which can be worn as a wedding dress. The fengguan xiapei is a type of wedding attire that was worn in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
White and black are colours that are symbolic of death in Chinese culture and are therefore not worn to weddings. Dark colours such as navy and grey should also be avoided.
