Chinese Wedding Games: Foods To Feed The Groom

Chinese wedding door games are an important tradition in Chinese weddings. They are a series of fun challenges set up by the bridesmaids for the groom and his groomsmen to prove the groom's love for the bride. One of the most common games involves the consumption of unpleasant or strange foods, including foods that are sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy to represent the different flavours of marriage. Other games include answering questions about the bride and performing songs and dances.

Bitter foods and drinks

Chinese wedding door games are a fun tradition that puts the groom and his groomsmen to the test. One of the most popular games is "The Four Flavors of Marriage", which includes the "bitter" flavor. The groom and his groomsmen must eat or drink powerful versions of each flavor to prove the groom's ability to handle every situation in marriage.

Bitter Melon (Kǔguā)

Bitter melon, or kǔguā in Chinese, is a popular choice for adding bitterness. It is a type of melon with a distinctive wrinkled appearance and a pale green hue. It is known for its medicinal properties and refreshing taste, especially during the summer. Bitter melon can be stuffed with meat or tossed with salted duck eggs. Blanching it in saltwater can help mitigate its bitter taste.

Tea

Tea is another option for adding bitterness to the game. Sheng Pu'er, specifically from ancient trees, is a type of tea known for its distinctive bitterness. The bitterness in tea is often associated with desirable traits, and there is a saying in China, "If it isn't bitter, it isn't tea," reflecting the idea that suffering is inherent in life.

Dark Chocolate

While not traditionally Chinese, dark chocolate is an option to add bitterness to the game. It is often sweetened in Western cultures, but when consumed in its pure form, it can provide an intense bitter taste.

Coffee

Similarly to dark chocolate, coffee is not traditionally Chinese but can add a bitter element to the game. A strong cup of black coffee, without any milk or sugar, will definitely leave a bitter taste in the mouth.

Bitter Herbs and Spices

Chinese herbal medicine is known for its bitter taste, and including some bitter herbs and spices can increase the challenge. For example, celery juice or wasabi-filled biscuits could be used.

Spicy foods and drinks

Spicy Dishes

• Ma po tofu: a dish made with a spicy bean chilli sauce, tofu, ground pork, and Sichuan peppercorn.
• Dan dan noodles: authentic dan dan noodles are made with a chilli black bean paste, ground pork, raw garlic, crunchy peanuts, scallions, and cilantro.
• Saliva chicken: boiled chicken marinated in a chilli and sesame oil sauce with 10 spices.
• Hot and sour glass noodles: sweet potato flour noodles stewed in a soup made from soybeans, chilli paste, vinegar, and chilli oil.
• Hot and sour fish soup: made with freshwater fish, tomatoes, red chilli peppers, chilli oil, garlic, and scallions. The sour flavour comes from fermented vegetables.
• Hunan spicy beef: beef stir-fried with fresh and deep-fried chilli peppers.
• Er kuai spicy chicken: a savoury rice cake made from glutinous rice paste, cut into cubes, and stir-fried with fresh chilli peppers and deep-fried chicken.
• Hotpot: a spicy soup made with rendered beef fat, dried and fresh red chilli peppers, and various herbs and spices.
• Yu xiang tofu: red chilli bean paste, sugar, garlic, ginger, onions, soy sauce, deep-fried tofu, and capsicum. This dish can also be made with eggplant or shredded pork instead of tofu.

Spicy Drinks

• Ginger tea: a hot drink made from ginger, which is a common Chinese herb for seasoning.
• Chilli oil drink: a spicy drink made from chilli oil, which is commonly used in Chinese cooking.
• Spicy cocktail: a cocktail made with chilli-infused liquor and spicy garnishes, such as chilli pepper-infused vodka with a chilli pepper rim.

Sweet foods and drinks

Chinese wedding traditions include a series of games called "door games", which are played by the groom and groomsmen. These games are designed to be lighthearted and fun, and are used to determine many aspects of the couple's future, including luck and children.

Food often features in these games, and sweet foods and drinks are a popular choice. Here are some ideas for sweet foods and drinks that can be included in Chinese wedding games:

Sugar-Coated Donuts

A fun game is to have the groomsmen eat sugar-coated donuts without using napkins or licking their lips. This is sure to result in a sticky mess, providing entertainment and funny photos for the wedding party.

Red Bean Soup

Red bean soup is a traditional Chinese dessert that is often served at weddings. The dessert is believed to symbolise wishes for a hundred years of happiness for the newlyweds. It can be included in a game, with a fun punishment for whoever spills or drops their bowl.

Sweet Buns

Sweet buns, filled with lotus paste or sesame paste, are another traditional Chinese wedding dessert. The sweetness of the buns symbolises a joyful marriage, while the stickiness reflects the couple "sticking together" for life. These buns can be incorporated into a game or challenge, with the groomsmen having to eat them in a fun or unusual way.

Fortune Cookies

Although their authenticity is questioned, fortune cookies can be a fun addition to the wedding games. The groomsmen could be challenged to break them open with their mouths, or a game could be created around the fortunes inside.

Chinese Wedding Cakes

Western-style wedding cakes can be decorated with Chinese elements such as the double happiness symbol, dragon and phoenix imagery, or calligraphy of the couple's names. These cakes can be used in a variety of creative ways for the wedding games, such as a cake-eating contest or a challenge to feed each other without using hands.

Drinks: Baijiu or Red Wine

In Chinese wedding traditions, the couple receives three toasts for blissful marriage, eternal love, and having children soon. The traditional drink of choice is baijiu, a strong liquor distilled from fermented sorghum. However, red wine is also becoming popular as it is less strong and may be more palatable for guests. These drinks can be offered to the groomsmen as part of a drinking game or challenge.

Sour foods and drinks

Chinese wedding door games are a fun tradition that puts the groom and groomsmen to the test, proving the groom's devotion to his bride. One such game involves the four flavours of marriage: sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy. The groom and his groomsmen must eat or drink powerful versions of each flavour.

• Sour plum drink (Suan Mei Tang) is a centuries-old Chinese drink and the ultimate thirst quencher, especially during the hot summer months. It is made with dried sour plums, hawthorn berries, dried orange peel, dried hibiscus flowers, and rock sugar.
• Sour fruits such as lemon, lime, sour apple, grape, mango, olive, raspberry, blueberries, blackberries, huckleberry, sumac berries, schisandra berries, or sorrels.
• Fermented sour foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, or sourdough bread.
• Sour dairy products such as yogurt or cheese.
• Sour condiments such as pickles, vinegar, or mustard.
• Sour plum, a traditional Chinese food, often used in sauces or as a snack.

Remember, it's all about balance. Too much sour can cause overstimulation of the Liver, which may interfere with digestion and appetite. So, it's best to consume sour foods and drinks in moderation.

Strange food combinations

Chinese wedding door games are a tradition that pits the bridesmaids against the groom and groomsmen. The groom and groomsmen must complete a series of challenges to prove the groom's devotion and love for the bride. These games are played on the morning of the wedding at the bride's family home before the groom is allowed to receive the bride in her room.

One of the games involves the consumption of strange food combinations. The groom and groomsmen must eat or drink something very sweet, very sour, very bitter, and very spicy. These flavours represent the different flavours of marriage, signifying the groom's ability to handle every situation that marriage may bring. Bitter foods for this challenge may include bitter tea and bitter gourd, while spicy foods may include wasabi and chilli padi.

Another game involves the consumption of dry crackers without any drinks. This game is challenging as the mouth dries out and it becomes difficult to chew.

In another game, the groom and groomsmen must eat sugar-coated donuts without using napkins or licking their lips. This game will result in a sticky mess, providing entertainment and laughter for the bridal party.

Additionally, the groom and groomsmen may be asked to eat or drink unusual items, such as wasabi-filled biscuits, celery juice, or chilli padi. These games are designed to be fun and light-hearted, adding excitement to the wedding while also testing the groom's devotion.

Frequently asked questions