Spring arrives and life gets warmer. The San Chi in Binh Lieu district, Quang Ninh province often organize weddings in spring, the season of love.
The groom's delegation brings offerings to the bride's family. (Photo: VOV)
A San Chi wedding often takes place over 3 days, which are seen as a happy event for the whole community. Traditionally it includes many steps, but in general, there are three main customs: asking for the bride, a betrothal ceremony, and a ceremony to welcome the bride in to the groom’s house.
Representatives for the bride and groom sing Soong Co, an alternate singing session, as part of the procedure to ask the bride’s family to allow the groom’s family to take the bride. The procedure can last a long time or be very quick, depending on the groom’s representatives who sing back and forth humorously with the bride’s family.
People from both sides chant beautiful and moving lyrics to greet the others and discuss wedding procedures. After the call-and-response singing is over, the bride’s family allows the groom’s family to enter their house to perform a ritual informing the ancestors of the wedding and then greeting guests of both families.
“The call-and-response singing procedure is indispensable. It helps people understand each other. Singing makes all people happy from the beginning to the end of the wedding,” said Tran Hoc Cam, a 68-year-old San Chi man, who has sung at many San Chi weddings.
A San Chi bride wears indigo on her wedding. (photo: VOV)
Wedding costumes of the San Chi are not as colorful and shimmering with many motifs as other ethnic groups. The San Chi’s clothes mainly have dark colors which create a calm, rustic, and powerful feeling. The bride wears an indigo outfit with a highlight on a belt embroidered with green and red. She holds a new handkerchief in her left hand.
Bride Chu Thi Hanh said the handkerchief is an inseparable item which wraps her wishes for a beautiful life.
“Before the bride goes to her husband’s house, her grandparents and parents give her an umbrella and a handkerchief. The umbrella is used to cover her from sunshine and rain. She uses the handkerchief to cover the face when she enters her husband's house. Now the bride holds it in her hand and doesn’t have to cover her face,” said Hanh.
The San Chi prefer even numbers to represent sufficiency, harmony, and happiness. The bride is accompanied by 2 bridesmaids, 2 friends, and 4 relatives from the sides of her mother and father.
Ninh Van Thiet, a representative of the bride's family, said the delegation walk in a single line accompanying the bride to the groom's house.
“The bride’s family gives the couple a buffalo, some chicken, blankets, and a trunk. The groom prepares the offering according to the bride’s request, such as pork and liquor. The requested volume also suits the groom’s condition,” said Thiet.
A unique feature in the San Chi’s wedding ceremony is the bride and groom accepting adoptive parents. San Chi people believe that having adoptive parents will give more strength to the young couple to build a new life. The groom's family gives gifts to the adoptive parents which should have 24 glutinous rice cakes and a few kilograms of pork. The bride gives them clothes, blankets, curtains, and pots.
“On the second day of the wedding, the bride and groom go to the adoptive parents’ house. The couple will have 3 parents. Every year they will give Tet gifts to their adoptive parents,” said Tran Van Don, an adoptive father.
In spring peach flowers bloom all over the Binh Lieu mountains. It’s a time for young San Chi people wearing traditional clothes to attend weddings, join Soong Co alternate singing session, and seek a partner. The melodious Soong Co songs have kindled love for many couples and also encouraged young San Chi people to treasure the beauty of their traditional culture.
Vu Mien - Vinh Phong