从上边这两张图片,我们可以看出中国传统婚礼和西式婚礼的一些差异。
From the two pictures above we can see some differences between traditional Chinese weddings and that of the western countries.
中国传统婚礼要求新娘穿红色的礼服,因为红色象征喜庆、幸福。而西式婚礼中新娘常常会穿白色的礼服,因为白色象征快乐、纯洁。这种差异是因为中国人和西方人对红、白两种颜色的认识不同。中国人觉得红色吉利,而西方人觉得白色幸运。
At a traditional Chinese wedding, the bride is usually asked to wear red which betokens jubilance and bliss. However, at a Western wedding the bride usually wears white wedding dress which symbolizes happiness and purity. Such differences appear because the Chinese and the Westerners have varied interpretations about the two colors. The Chinese regard red as auspicious while Westerners consider white can bring good luck.
中式婚礼上常常会放鞭炮,因为人们觉得这样可以避邪。有趣的是,为了避邪,在西式婚礼上,人们会撒一些像大米一样的谷物。
People set off firecrackers at a Chinese wedding because they think the noise can keep away the evil spirits. While it is also interesting to notice that the Westerners would throw rice at the newlyweds to avoid the bad influences.
"旧东西,新东西,借来的东西,蓝色的东西,鞋里还要放个银币。" 你听说过这句话吗?这是西方传统婚礼的习俗,人们认为在婚礼中新娘身上带着这些东西就会拥有好运:"旧东西"象征在娘家的过去;"新东西"一般来说是礼服或者鞋子,表示在新生活中拥有成功和希望。;"借来的东西"最好来自婚姻幸福的亲朋好友,这样可以传递一些好运给新娘;而蓝色自古都是纯洁真挚爱情的象征。新娘左脚鞋里的银币则代表结婚以后会拥有财富。
"Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue, and a nickel in the shoe." Have you ever heard this expression? It describes the wedding customs in the western countries, which requests the bride to bring these things at the wedding so to attract good luck. "Something old" memorizes the bride's past in her parents' home; "something new" usually refer to a new dress or a pair of new shoes, representing hope and success in her new life. "Something borrowed" always comes from friends and relatives who enjoy a happy marriage so to bring luck to the bride; the color of blue has always been associated with the pure love, and the nickel in the bride's left shoe means that the newlywed will enjoy a good fortune after their marriage.
西式婚礼要求新娘带很多东西,而中式婚礼要求新娘吃很多东西,比如枣、花生、桂圆、瓜子等。这四种食物寓意"早(枣)生贵(桂)子",这也是大家对新婚夫妇的美好祝福。
The bride will wear or carry different things at a traditional Western wedding, while the bride in China is expected to eat many things according to the tradition, such as, Chinese dates (枣), peanuts, longans (桂), and melon seeds, since the homophones of the food's names can be found in the Chinese idiom of "早(枣)生贵(桂)子", which is a common word to bless the newlywed to have a lovely baby very soon after their marriage.