Costumes
Wedding
Festival
graduation exercises
Food
Shehuo
Huaer
 
 

 

Tu’s traditional wedding ceremony is complicated but arranged in good sequence. The procedures include choosing go-between, engagement, presenting betrothal, picking up bride, sending back bride’s family, wedding ceremony and banquet for extending gratitude. In the past, marriage was decided by parents. Girls between 3 and 5 could be engaged. In general, brides are several years older than the groom. Engagement and betrothal gifts are arranged by go-between.

The day before the wedding ceremony, the groom sends the go-between to give mutton and pork to the bride’s family for entertaining the guests. In the evening, the groom sends his two envoys taking betrothal, a sheep and ornaments to the bride’s family. As the envoys arrived, girls in the bride’s family receive the presents, dancing and singing. While the envoys enter the room, the girls poured water on them. Then the envoys will be entertained with tea and dinner. After that, they will dance and sing with the girls till dawn of next day. In the morning, after finishing dressing and making up, the bride will go to the groom’s family accompanied by the envoys and her family members.

When the bride gets to the groom’s family, the groom accompanies the bride walking on the red carpet along the path toward the house. The wedding ceremony is held in jubilant atmosphere, with people dancing and singing. After the ceremony, the bride’s family members’ faces are put on black ash in order to be identified for sending them back home.

Now because of living with Han, there are some changes in the ceremony, but it is still very special and impressive.


Copyright @ Qinglin Township Tu Center School,Datong County, Qinghai,China