8/11 Saturday - Max and Winnie Chinese Traditional Wedding procession(day
time)- bridegroom will sit in the trishaw to greet the bride who will sit in
the Chinese Sedan Chair (kiew) accompanied by 2 flutes, 1 Chinese Gong, 1 Maid and full costume; Fire Crackers. A
cultural Wedding you should not miss. Location : from Muntri Street -Penang
Road - Burmah Road. Please check the exact time and route of the procession
with us.
Look out! We might surprise you!
Bring along your camera and we will have a good laugh.
How would you imagine this old-fashion Chinese Wedding to
be held in the modern world?
The chair-like sedan enclosed with
color silk was one of the main vehicles in the ancient time of China. Of
course, it was mainly used by the rich. The poor had to rely on donkeys or
their own feet to travel. So it was an outstanding identity to have a sedan
rather than a noisy donkey. On special occasions, such as a wedding ceremony, a
sedan chair was used to take the bride to the groom's house, even for the poor.
Well, here is a story about how people started the tradition.
The story is
said to have something to do with the great powerful emperor, Qianlong of Qing
Dynasty, who was a very diligent emperor. It is said he had made seven
inspection tours to the far south of China. And the story about how the sedan
got used in people's wedding just happened on his third tour.
One day, when
the emperor and his men were marching in the mountains, suddenly the guide
reported that the march was hold up by a team of people. So Emperor Qianlong
got off the sedan and went walking to the front to see what was the matter. It
was a bride who was clustered around with a wedding band and she was on a
donkey's back, happily. Seeing it was a happy event, Emperor Qianlong felt very
delighted. However, it was a bit serious because neither of the teams would
give way to the other. The emperor thought out a way to solve the problem. He
said to the bride, "Not only would I like to give way to you, but also I
would like to lend you the sedan for your wedding if you make a poem
instantly." The bride agreed apparently not knowing who he was. Then she
recited: "See you tour; see me tour. No matter whoever is the host on the
road; See your sedan; see my donkey, clearly which is better for my wedding.
Your Honor, must be generous; lend me your vehicle instead of my living animal?
Who can say I am humble while you are noble! No difference here in the middle,
just the phenomena poke fun at people." Emperor Qianlong was astonished
that a village woman had such deep thoughts on life, so he was willing to lend
her the showy sedan for her wedding. It made the wedding ceremony so
spectacular that the subsequent wedding ceremonies appealed to a bridal sedan
dearly for carrying the bride even though it was only a simple sedan sometimes.
It gradually became a custom and was kept for many, many years until 1930's.
Even now, such sedans can be found in the parade on major Chinese festivals.
Note: Very likely the procession
will be on. Cancellation will only occur if
any unforeseen circumstances occur.
