Junior Rasmussen
Traditional Chinese wedding dresses are deeply rooted in the country's culture and history. The design of these dresses has evolved over time, influenced by different dynasties, each leaving its mark on the attire. The dresses are not only meant to be aesthetically pleasing but also carry symbolic meanings, reflecting the couple's wishes for happiness, longevity, and good fortune. The colours, motifs, and accessories of the wedding attire are carefully chosen, with red being the most prominent colour, symbolising happiness, luck, and fortune. The dragon and phoenix motifs represent the yin and yang, embodying power, grace, and beauty. The evolution of Chinese wedding dresses showcases the importance of the occasion, blending ancient rituals with modern interpretations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Colour | Red, black, gold, cyan, green, blue, gray |
| Motifs | Dragons, phoenixes, clouds, flowers, birds |
| Material | Silk |
| Style | Qipao, cheongsam, qun kua, qungua, fengguan xiapei, xiuhefu, longfeng gua, hanfu |
| Veil | Red square-shaped silk embroidered with peony or phoenix patterns |
| Headwear | Phoenix coronets, Feng Guan, Xia Pei |
| History | Originated in the Zhou, Tang, Song, Ming, Qing, and Han Dynasties |
| Symbolism | Good fortune, happiness, longevity, love, power, strength, yin and yang |
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What You'll Learn
The importance of colour
Colour plays a significant role in traditional Chinese wedding attire, with red being the most prominent colour choice. Red symbolises joy, celebration, love, romance, and enthusiasm, and has been a traditional colour for brides since the Ming Dynasty. In Chinese culture, the bride wears a red wedding dress, such as a Qun Kwa, cheongsam, or qipao, to celebrate the happiness and joy of the marriage. The colour red is also believed to drive away bad omens.
Gold is another important colour in traditional Chinese wedding attire, symbolising wealth and fortune. It is often incorporated into the wedding dress through embroidery or accessories. Yellow is also considered lucky and imperial, and is sometimes woven into the fabric or used for accessories.
In addition to these warm and vibrant colours, cooler colours like blue, green, and grey are also used in traditional Chinese wedding attire. The qungua, a two-piece wedding dress from Southern China, often features a green qun (skirt). The qungua can also be red, and both colours would be embroidered with dragons and phoenixes.
While black and white are now common colours for wedding dresses in Western cultures, they are considered taboo in traditional Chinese weddings as they are associated with death and mourning. However, black dresses with gold or silver accents are becoming more popular among modern Chinese brides who want to make a bold statement.
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Symbolism of the phoenix
The phoenix is an important symbol in traditional Chinese wedding attire, representing good luck and happiness. The Feng Guan (phoenix crown) is considered the most classic and representative piece of Chinese wedding attire.
The phoenix first became a part of Chinese wedding attire during the Ming dynasty, when it was initially designed exclusively for queens. During this time, only royalty and nobility were permitted to wear the phoenix crown, and it was forbidden for commoners to include dragon and phoenix patterns on their phoenix coronets. However, in the Ming dynasty, civilians were granted permission to wear the phoenix crown as part of their wedding attire. Phoenix coronets were typically made from colourful decorations or jade for those who could afford it.
The phoenix is often paired with the dragon as a symbol, and together they are known as the Longfeng gua (龙凤褂) or dragon phoenix coat. This pairing is also reflected in the traditional Chinese wedding dress, the Qungua, which is often adorned with gold dragons and phoenixes. The Qungua is composed of a jacket called Gua and a long Qun, which can be straight-cut or have pleated sides. The Qungua is a popular form of wedding dress in Southern China, and it is common for mothers of the bride to sew the dress by hand as part of the bride's dowry.
The Qipao is another type of traditional Chinese wedding dress, mainly worn in Northern China. The Qipao is a one-piece frock, typically red in colour, and embroidered with elaborate gold and silver designs. The colour red is significant in Chinese weddings as it represents happiness, fertility, good luck, success, and fortune. It is also believed to ward off evil spirits.
In addition to the wedding dress, the phoenix is also incorporated into the bride's veil and hairpieces. The traditional Chinese wedding veil is square-shaped and made of red silk, often embroidered with phoenix patterns. The veil is meant to be worn for the entire wedding ceremony and only removed when relatives and friends have left. It is considered the groom's privilege to remove the veil using a small steelyard, symbolising the bride's willingness to listen to her husband's opinions.
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The role of the groom
The groom plays a significant role in traditional Chinese wedding customs. One of the most important groom-related traditions is the "gate crashing" or "door games" ritual, also known as Chuangmen. This involves a series of fun tests and stunts prepared by the bridesmaids to challenge the groom and his party when they arrive at the bride's house. These games are designed to test the groom's determination to marry the bride and win the approval of her family.
The groom also has to "surrender" the bride by offering red packets of money to her friends and bridesmaids. Only after completing all the challenges can the groom enter the bride's room and locate her shoe, which he then puts on her foot. He carries her out to the living room for the Chinese tea ceremony, a key component of the wedding where the couple expresses gratitude and respect to their parents.
During the wedding procession, the groom, dressed in a red gown, kowtows three times to worship heaven, parents, and his spouse. This is equivalent to exchanging vows in Western culture. The groom also has the privilege of removing the bride's red veil, traditionally using a small steelyard, symbolising that the bride will listen to his opinion willingly.
In terms of wedding expenses, the groom's family has traditionally provided 12 gifts for the bride's family, although modern weddings have simplified this to six essential gifts, including wedding cookies, traditional Chinese cake, candles, firecrackers, money, and gold jewellery. The groom's family also hosts a wedding banquet, which is considered a public recognition of the union.
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Influence of the Han dynasty
The Han dynasty played a significant role in shaping traditional Chinese wedding dresses and their symbolism. During this period, brides wore the Quju-Shenyi, a ceremonial robe with a long, flowing design and a trumpet-shaped hem. The layered garments symbolised grace and modesty, and the veil, which was usually red, marked the origin of the Chinese bridal veil. The colour red was believed to drive away bad omens and cover the bride's nervous flushing face.
Intricate embroidery became more prominent during the Han dynasty, incorporating vibrant colours like red and yellow. These designs reflected societal hierarchies and cultural values. Astrology also played a vital role in ancient Chinese wedding ceremonies, with families consulting astrologers to determine the compatibility of the couple based on their birth dates and zodiac signs. This practice ensured harmony between the couple and their families.
The influence of the Han dynasty extended beyond just the wedding attire. Matchmaking became more formalised, with intermediaries arranging marriages to strengthen alliances between families. This practice demonstrates the importance of marriage as a means to uphold family stability and ancestral worship, reflecting Confucian values deeply rooted in Chinese society.
The evolution of Chinese wedding attire during the Han dynasty highlighted the dynasty's influence on marital traditions. The intricate designs, symbolism, and rituals associated with this period laid the foundation for the exquisite beauty and uniqueness of subsequent Chinese wedding dresses.
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The significance of embroidery
The traditional Chinese wedding dress, or Qipao, is a one-piece frock in the north and a two-piece dress called Qungua or QunKwa in the south. Brides in the south prefer to wear the two-piece dress, which is often adorned with gold dragons and phoenixes. The Qungua has five types: Guahuang, Guahou, Dawufu, Zhongwufu, and Xiaowufu, which are differentiated by the amount of embroidery on the dress.
The Xiuhefu, another type of traditional Chinese wedding dress, is composed of a waist-length liling dajin ao and a long A-line qun. It is typically embroidered with flowers and birds to symbolize love.
The Qipao, Qungua, and Xiuhefu are often red, the most auspicious colour in Chinese culture, representing happiness, luck, and fortune. They also feature an embroidered phoenix, which represents beauty, grace, and the Chinese yin, and a dragon, which represents power, strength, and the yang. The phoenix coronet has been an important part of Chinese wedding attire since the Ming dynasty.
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Frequently asked questions
Red is considered the most auspicious colour in Chinese culture, representing happiness, luck and fortune.
The dragon represents power and strength, while the phoenix represents beauty and grace and the Chinese yin and yang.
Qungua, also known as Longfeng Gua, is a two-piece ceremonial traditional Chinese wedding dress composed of a jacket and a long skirt. It originated in the 18th century during the Qing dynasty and was sewn by the mother of the bride as soon as her daughter was born.
While both can be worn as traditional Chinese wedding dresses, the Qungua is a two-piece garment composed of a jacket and a skirt, while the modern cheongsam is a one-piece robe.
Other styles include the Fengguan Xiapei, worn in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the Xiuhefu, which gained popularity in 2001 after an actress wore a modern recreation of it in a TV drama.
