婚姻是人类社会共有的制度之一。从古至今,婚姻对于任何人都是至关重要的。婚礼是在公开的场合将丈夫和妻子之间的婚姻关系公开确定下来的仪式。因此几乎在每一种社会文化中,都有举办婚礼的习俗。婚礼是各个国家文化的重要组成部分。随着社会的不断进步和全球化的影响,婚礼文 China and the western countries vary a great deal in cultures. As a result, there are many differences between a traditional Chinese wedding and a western wedding. The most obvious difference falls on the colors and keynotes. The basic color of a traditional Chinese wedding is red which represents good luck and festivity in Chinese people’s eyes, while a western wedding is white which symbolizes purity. The color red plays a vital part of a traditional Chinese wedding, from the red wedding invitations, the red gift envelopes, to the red wedding decorations and the couple’s red wedding outfits. Usually, the groom will wear long robe with a band of silk around his neck, a Mandarin jacket, and a “Number One Scholar” hat while the bride will wear a gorgeous red gown covered with silk, sometimes even silver and gold, a phoenix headpiece and a red veil which covers her face. However, in a western wedding, the bride will wear a long white dress and a semitransparent veil, and carry a bouquet; the groom black dress suit and a buttonhole. The whole ceremony is solemn and serene but romantic at the same time. A traditional Chinese wedding ceremony and the reception are often held in the groom’s home whereas a western wedding ceremony and the reception are usually held separated, in a church and a hotel or restaurant. Before the ceremony, a Chinese bride will be brought to the groom’s house in a Chinese Bridal Sedan Chair. As soon as the bride arrives, she will be led to the groom by her maid of honor, during which she must step over a fire basin. Each holding one end of a band of silk, the couple will be escorted into the hall. Meanwhile, a western bride enters the church accompanied by her father, arm in arm, and is “given away” to the groom. The groom is assisted by a “best man” and the bride is attended upon by young girls called bridesmaids. During the ceremony of a traditional Chinese wedding, the couple will kowtow three times, the first signifying obeisance to heaven and earth, the second to their parents, and the third to each other. Then the groom will lift the cover off his wife’s headpiece. In a western one, the couple will be married by a priest or vicar and make vows instead of kowtowing. And then the couple will exchange wedding rings and kiss. A reception with a meal will be held after the wedding ceremony. In a traditional Chinese wedding, the bride is supposed to stay in the bridal chamber waiting for the groom instead of attending the banquet. The groom, therefore, will entertain the guests and drink liquor with them. After the meal, many of the guests will stream into the bridal chamber to make merry and play all kinds of tricks on the newlyweds. On the other hand, in a western wedding reception, the guests will toast the bride and the groom, sometimes also the best man and other friends, will make a speech. The reception reaches the climax when the newlyweds cut the wedding cake together which will be shared by all the guests. Most weddings will then be followed by dancing. It seems that the traditional Chinese wedding is unlike the western one in almost every way. However, there are also some similarities in both two. For instance, in both China and the west, the bride’s face is covered by a veil, which was used to prevent the bride being an attraction to other men in the past. In both cultures, there are some customs to throwing away evil spirits such as setting out fire crackers and stepping over fire basins in China and throwing confetti and petals to the newlyweds in the west. Different cultures lead to different customs. All in all, however, no matter where the wedding takes place, it is full of laughter, blessing and happiness. 本文来源：https://www.wddqw.com/doc/22914c19a300a6c30c229ffb.html