Menshouldmarrywhentheyareyoung，andwomenshouldmarrywhentheyareyoung.Thishasbeenanunchangingprinciplesinceancienttimes.Althoughitisnowadvocatedtochangecustomsandengageinnewweddings，paredtothe1960sand1970s，ithasbeemoreluxuriousandthesimplecustomsofpeoplenolongerexist.IamfromZhuzhou，Hunan.LetmetalkabouttheweddingcustomsinZhuzhou.

isitingandEngaging

Matchmakerestoproposemarriage

Whenmenandwomenreachtheageofmarriage，theirparentsfirstfindamatchmaker.Whenthematchmakerdiscoversthatthereissomeoneofappropriateageinthefamily，theyfirstmunicatewiththeirparentsandthenscheduleadatetoarrangeablinddatelocation，usuallyamarketplace.Onthedayofthemarket，boththemanandthewomangotothedesignatedlocation，takealookateachother，sayafewwords，andshowtheircheerfulpersonalityonthespot.Generally，theywillreturnhomeandtalktothematchmaker.Afteragreeing，themanwillchooseadateforengagement（wecallitDingshithere）.Thereisalsoatypethatisfavoredbyoneselforbyparents，suchascousins.Iftheyarerelated，parentswillentrustanacquaintancetoactasamatchmaker.Inthe1960sand1970s，manycousinsgotmarriedinruralareas，andthethirdrepresentativeofsiblingsgettingmarriedwasmore.Thisiscalled"

newrelativesgettingmarriedwitholdrelatives"

，whichisevenmorejoyful，butthiskindofcloserelativesgettingmarriedisstillnotgood.

Theengagementrequiresfourkindsofgifts，thatis，afewpiecesofcloth.Decentfamilieswillusedacronanddacronfabrics，nylonsocks，andthosewithpooreconomicconditionswillusekhakiclothandcottonsocks.Inthisway，eveniftheengagementissuccessful，themancangotothewomanshomeandsendsomegiftstothewomanshomefortheNewYearholiday.Generally，thefourkindsofgiftsarethesame，namely，theBeginningofSummerFestival，theDragonBoatFestival，theMid-AutumnFestivalandtheSpringFestival.Meat，eggs，noodlesAndapieceoffabric，afterayearortwo，whenbothpartieshavenoobjections，thewomantellsthematchmakerthattheycancuttheshoesample（thatis，themantellsthewomanthesizeoftheshoeswornbyhisfamily）.Themangivesthewomansomemoneyforcuttingthesample，whichwasonlyafewtensofyuanatthattime.Thewomanneedstomakeapairofshoesforeachmemberofthemansfamilyandmatchthemwithhand-embroideredinsoles.

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Preparationbeforeandaftermarriage

Anecessarydowryforwomen

Beforemarriage，themangivesthewomansomemoneytobuyadowry.Dependingonthefamilyseconomicconditions，hecangivethewomanthreetofivethousandyuanatonce，andregardlessofhowmuchmoneyshereceivesfromtheman，thesethingsmustbeallocated.Onelargewardrobeorbinationcabinet，onetable，fourchairs，onebtable，onefoodcabinet，onewashbasinrack，twolargewoodencases，onesmallwoodencaseorleathercase（similartothelargertravelcaseatpresent），twohotwaterbottles，cupsandtoothbrushes，aluminumpotsforboilingwater，pressurecookerandotherdailynecessities，fourquiltsandapairofpillows.Thosewithgoodfamilyconditionswillbeequippedwithamensbicycle，asewingmachine，ablackandwhiteTVset，anelectricfan，etc.Infact，nomatterhowmuchmoneythemangivesthewoman，thewomansparentsbasicallydontusemuchofthemoney，andtheyreturnittotheirdaughtertomakecontainermoney.

Whatthemanmustprepare

Inadditiontogivingthewomanthreeorfivethousandyuan，themanonlyneedstoprepareoneortwonewhousesanddoesntcareaboutanythingelse.Ifthemansfamilyispoorandthereisnodowryforthewoman，thewomanwillalsobringallthedailynecessities.

Onthedaybeforemarriage，themanmustpayagifttothewoman.Thegiftsinclude:halforonepig，chicken，clothesorfabrics，shoesandsocksofthewomansparents，brothersandsisters.Allthingsshouldbeputinplace.Abigrackshouldbeusedtocarrythemtothewoman，sothatthewomansonlookerscanknowwhatsingataglance.Ifthemansfamilyconditionisnotgood，hewillborrowsomethingtoputonittosaveface，Becauseallthethingsthatwentthroughtheceremony，exceptforthefood，returnedtothemanthenextday.

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Thewomanshouldprepareasfollows

Putredpacketsinthequilt，usuallytwopackets，eachofwhichis40centsforthebedmaker.Thebigwoodenboxisfulloffruit，peanuts，sweetpotatochips，eggs，candybiscuits，andclothes，shoesandsockswhenyouseethemansparents，brothersandsistersinthemansside.Inaddition，theparentsalsoneedtogivethedaughtersomeboxmoney（hundredstothousandsdependingontheconditions）.Becauseaftermarryingtheman，themother-in-lawwillopentheboxthenextday，andpeopleinthevillagewillearoundtoseetheexcitement，Thepurposeistoseeifthewomanhasgivenenoughmoneyforthecontainer.

Onthedaybeforemarriage，thewomanwillnotifythemanhowmanypeoplewilletoliftthingsthenextday.Generally，eightormoremenarerequiredbecausethewomanneedstocarryeverythingtotheman，andthemansroomonlyneedstobepreparedwithanemptyhouse.Thenextmorning，aweddingprocessionwasarrangedforthemantogotothewomanshousetoweleher.Themenhadtogo，includingthegroom，twobrides（women），fivetosixgongsandcobaltteams，andpeoplecarryingthings.Theyallwenttothewomanshousetohavebreakfasttogether，blowingandplaying.Afterdinner，thewomansentoffthewedding，withonemanandtwowomenseeingoffthebride.Theprocessioncarryingthingstookastepfirst，andthenthegroomandbridefollowedwithumbrellas.Regardlessoftheweather，eachpersonhadanumbrella，Blowingandbeatingallthewaytothemanforlunch.

Afterdinner，theweddingsceneisalsothemostlivelysceneduringmarriage.Thepurposeistohelpthegroomandbrideeliminatethefeelingofshyness.Variousprogramstrytomaketheirbodyandskincontact，suchasmouthtomoutheatingdates，twopeoplelightingfirecrackers，kittensfishing，andashpicking.Themoretricks，thebetter.Nomatterhowbigorsmall，theycanmakeasmuchnoiseastheywant.Afterthe1980s，thehabitofmakingweddingscenesgraduallychangedtowatchingmovies，videos，andsinging.

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Conclusion:Marriageinthaterawasthesimplest，especiallyforofficeworkersandworkerswhoatethenationalfood，letaloneworryaboutanything.Theyhadfreelove，andwhentheygotmarried，theirunithadashareofthehouse.Theunitleaderswouldpersonallyholdtheweddingfortheyoungcouple，andaftermarriage，theyoungcoupleslowlymadesomefurniture.Unlikenow，housesmustbeboughtbythemselves，andsomepeoplewouldbeepropertyslavesforalifetime.Thaterawastrulysocialist!

Later，withthedevelopmentofsocietyandtheimprovementofmateriallivingstandards，betrothalgiftsemerged，startingwiththreemajoritems:bicycles，watches，andsewingmachines.Later，itdevelopedintofourmajoritems，fivemajoritems，andsoon，untilnow，Iwontsaymuchaboutit.

喜欢人在四合院：我是何雨柱（）人在四合院：我是何雨柱。