Understanding the beauty of this wedding tradition
In the rich tapestry of Chinese wedding customs, 安床 (ān chuáng) holds a significant place as a beautiful and cherished tradition even here in Singapore. Translating to “setting the bed”, 安床 is a customary ritual that symbolizes blessings of harmony, prosperity, and the start of a new chapter in a couple’s life. 安床 remains an integral part of modern Chinese weddings, weaving together the past and the present in a tapestry of love and respect. But how do you perform this age-old wedding tradition and what items do we need to prepare?
In this guide, we delve into the essence of 安床, exploring its origins, the materials needed to carry out this traditional practice, symbolic meanings, and the ceremonial steps involved to ensure you have a prosperous wedding.
What is the significance of 安床?
In Chinese culture, 安床 is an important ritual performed before the wedding day, symbolizing the official preparation of the marital chamber for the soon-to-be-married couple. The ceremony holds deep cultural significance, as it signifies the couple’s transition from single life to married life and represents blessings of harmony, fertility, and a prosperous union.
Traditionally, you would need to consult a feng shui master to help pick an auspicious date and time to perform this tradition but due to busy schedules, modern Chinese families are becoming more flexible – with the caveat that, the ceremony has to be completed 3 to 7 days before the wedding. This gives rise to the alternative of going online to Google for an auspicious date – you just need to make sure that the date doesn’t clash with the bride or groom’s zodiac sign.
Oftentimes, close family members, often the parents or elderly relatives, meticulously prepare the wedding bed with great care and attention to detail. They may arrange the beddings, place auspicious items on the bed, and scatter various symbolic objects, such as rice, red dates, lotus seeds, and other traditional herbs or fruits, to represent fertility and good fortune.
Items to prepare for 安床
So what are some of the items to prepare for the 安床 ceremony?
In addition, you would also need to prepare a Double Happiness tray with the following items. This will be your Gift Box (礼金 lǐ jīn):
It is essential to remember that the specific items and customs involved in the 安床 ceremony may vary based on dialects and personal preferences. Nonetheless, the ceremony is a cherished opportunity for family members to come together, share joy and blessings, and celebrate the union of the couple.
Next, performing 安床!
Now moving on to performing the ceremony, The Wedding Editorial has come up with a simplified step-by-step guide:
P.S. For the young boy that is invited to jump and roll on the newlyweds’ bed, there are a few criteria to be met. The boy’s Chinese zodiac must not clash with the groom and bride, and should not be born in the year of the tiger (2022, 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962, 1950, 1938).
A word of caution: Here are 5 things you should not do after the ceremony is completed
The traditional ritual does not end after the ceremony is completed, there is some form of “aftercare”! To ensure the sanctity and auspiciousness of the ritual, there are certain customs and practices to observe. Here are 5 things you should avoid doing after 安床:
We believe there are other things we should avoid as well, but those mentioned above have more emphasis placed on them, especially here in Singapore and feng shui specific.
Final Thoughts
Traditions can be odd at times, especially when we don’t understand the meaning behind them. We hope that after reading this article, you can better understand the meaning of 安床 and why Chinese people perform this wedding tradition for newlyweds. At its core, the tradition is done to symbolize good fortune and health for the couple, as well as to bless the couple to have many offspring. Have fun and embrace the tradition!
