Distribution area: "Marriage Customs of Fishermen in Hongze Lake" is mainly popular among fishermen in the waters of Hongze Lake and surrounding areas. Historical evolution: The marriage customs of fishermen in Hongze Lake originated in the Qing Dynasty. Fishermen lived and ate on "household fishing boats". Except for doing business in the fishing market, they generally did not interact with residents on land. This feudal and closed living environment made their marriages mostly take place within the fishing gang, and over time formed the unique marriage customs of fishermen in Hongze Lake. Nowadays, with the progress of society, fishermen have broken the old custom of not marrying on land and water, but the marriage etiquette of fishermen in Hongze Lake has continued to this day because of its simplicity and frugality, full of festive atmosphere. Main content: The marriage of fishermen in Hongze Lake usually goes through the following rituals: Three-boundary contract: It is the so-called matchmaker post, which is the certificate in the engagement procedure. The matchmaker is the one who proposes marriage. After the parents of both parties agree and ask their children for their opinions, the matchmaker and the water boy (tantou) will calculate the yin and yang characters based on the birth dates of the man and woman to be married. If they are a good match, someone will write a big red wedding invitation, and the four matchmakers will exchange the birth invitation. There are four matchmakers, preferably a couple with one son and one daughter. Since the names of the parents and the matchmaker of the man and woman are written on the birth invitation, fishermen generally call it "three-world contract". Four water gifts: This is the name of the betrothal gifts by fishermen, which are mainly jewelry, clothes and food. Jewelry is mostly gold, silver, copper, jade and the like. Red cotton jackets, red shoes and red pants are necessary for clothing. The man's family will choose an auspicious day and ask the four matchmakers to send them to the woman's family by colorful boats, which is called "putting on new clothes". In terms of food, there are two pieces of "double-knife meat" (a cut in the middle of two ribs connected to each other), seven catties of front legs and eight catties of hind legs, with pig heart, called "connected heart meat". A pair of fresh carp and two live roosters, symbolizing the auspiciousness of dragon and phoenix. Four jars (bottles) of sorghum wine, four catties of vermicelli, and four catties of dried noodles, to show deep affection. Twelve packages of various cakes and fruits, each weighing four taels, including red dates and lotus seeds (or chestnuts), to wish for a happy marriage, early birth of a son, and a steady rise in career. Wedding sedan boat: The sedan boat is equivalent to the wedding sedan on land. Generally, a small covered boat or a small rowing boat used in fishing operations is used. When decorating, a colorful door is usually tied on the bow, and red cloth and colorful balls are hung on the side of the boat and the rudder. Passing the boat: Also known as the wedding boat, it is to pick up the bride. Opening the wedding cabin: The bride enters the wedding cabin. According to traditional customs, no matter how far the two families' boats are from each other or how strong the wind and waves are, the sedan boat must arrive at the bride's boat before dawn. The bride's family will then set off firecrackers to invite the groom to board the bride's boat. The groom will deliberately delay and refuse to board the boat despite repeated requests. The purpose is to urge the groom to put on makeup. After the groom sees that the bride has put on makeup, the groom and the bride, supported by the best man and bridesmaid, step on the red quilt on the bride's boat to board the sedan boat. Because the concept of time is very strong in the rules of welcoming the bride in the fishermen's family, the bride must be welcomed back at the hour of Mao, and the bride must cross the boat to enter the wedding cabin (room) when the sun rises from the lake. Fishermen have an old custom of "no light at the hour of Yin, the sun rises at the hour of Mao, and the whole house is full of joy." The hour of Mao is when the sun is about to burst out from the lake, which means that the married life will be as prosperous as the rising sun. Wedding dressing is the first important thing for a daughter's marriage, and the bride's makeup is called "putting on new clothes." First, ask the matchmaker from Quanfu (a house full of children and grandchildren) to help the bride put on earrings. At this time, the matchmaker from Quanfu will say happy words, which include: Take off the pendant from your mother's family, put on the ring from your husband's family, and it will be difficult for you to be a girl again. You have to live your life in your husband's family, step by step to climb up. When "putting on new clothes", ask the matchmaker from Quanfu to help the bride put on makeup, and say "putting on the clothes order", which includes: The sieve brings the clothes to urge the bride to put on the makeup, and the bride smiles when she sees the groom. The golden roosters are calling from above, and the phoenixes are crying in the cabin. Please, groom, don't be anxious, the newlyweds can make the fish sink to the bottom. Put on the gold hairpin and jade pendant, and put on the new wedding dress made by your mother. Say goodbye to your parents and accompany the groom, the bride and groom are so lucky. When the matchmaker from Quanfu covers the bride with a red veil, happy words include: The red veil covers the bride's face, and the groom feels sweet even though he can't see her. Just waiting for the groom to come and lift the veil, the two are as sweet as honey in their hearts. Fishermen have a unique custom of dressing brides. They must wear cotton clothes in any season and tie a mirror on their red belt. Fishermen believe that the more the bride wears, the richer her life will be in the future. A mirror tied on a red belt can drive away evil spirits and ensure safety. After the bride has put on her makeup, the newlyweds bid farewell to the bride's parents and board the sedan boat accompanied by the bridesmaid and best man. The best man and bridesmaid hold red umbrellas for them and start the sedan boat amid the sound of firecrackers and joy. The bride is taken to the wedding boat of her husband's family amid the sound of firecrackers along the way. The red gangplank (also called the magpie bridge) that has been wrapped in red cloth is put on the sedan boat. The bride is carried by the relatives to the wedding boat to the sound of drums and music and the crossing order. The bride is embraced into the wedding cabin amid the congratulations of many guests. Then there is the bed-making ceremony and the bed-making order is sung. The happy words at this time are: I am so happy when I enter the new cabin, and the bride's cabin is so beautiful. Night pearls, cleverly painted beams, red clothes, red quilts, and red cabins. When the bed is made, the people with the full blessing hold a large tray made of bamboo woven with chestnuts, red dates, peanuts, longans, and several coins. They grab the fruits from the tray and scatter them on the new bed, and say happy words. The rest of the people follow and say "good". For example: (a) The wormwood is green, the rice straw is yellow, I make the bed for the newlyweds. The two ends are laid high, leaving a hall for descendants in the middle. If you spread it to the east, you will have a noble son, and if you spread it to the west, you will be the top scholar. (b) Pull a handful of lamp grass mats, and spread the osmanthus mattress all over the bed. Put mandarin duck pillows on the two ends, leaving a phoenix in the middle. The phoenix spreads its wings and flies upwards, and the phoenix and peony make a pair. (c) As soon as you enter the room, the steps are wide, and the steps are on the bricks of the palace. The bricks of the palace are written with the eight trigrams, and your descendants will become high officials. Open the door of the tent and you will have continuous happiness. Put peace money in all directions. There are four words on the peace money, wealth and prosperity for thousands of years. (IV) The golden rooster crows in the sky, the grass chickens crow on the ground, today is the perfect day to make the bed. (V) The little straw grows long, I will make the bed for the newlyweds, I will spread it to the east for a son, and to the west for a top scholar. The two ends are spread high, leaving a hall for descendants in the middle, two pairs of good boys, one pair of good girls, the eldest son is the top scholar, the second son is the second. The third son is the third scholar, the fourth son studies to accompany the emperor. The eldest daughter is an embroiderer, she embroiders mandarin ducks in pairs. The second daughter is on the pot, cooking delicious meals every time. When placing the pillows, the happy words are: Put two mandarin duck pillows at the two ends, the bride and groom are sincere. Keep it as a phoenix in the central nest, and the children and grandchildren will be better than their parents. When spreading the quilt, the happy words are: Make the bed first, the quilt second, and a pair of lamp grass mats. Put two mandarin duck pillows at the two ends, it’s up to you and your wife to sleep on either side. The "Full-blessed Man" then scatters fruits such as peanuts, cakes, dates, and chestnuts in the cabin (scattering the tent), also known as the "scattering cabin order". The lyrics include: Call Qiuxiang, call Haitang, bring a fruit plate and I scatter the cabin. One scatters prosperity and wealth, two scatters a house full of gold and jade, three scatters auspiciousness, four scatters everything goes well, five scatters five sons pass the imperial examinations, six scatters smooth sailing, seven scatters a bride with seven skills, eight scatters power in all directions, nine scatters eternal love, long-lasting love between husband and wife, ten scatters a house full of children and grandchildren, and mandarin ducks playing on Hongze Lake. After the bride and groom enter the new room, the "Full-blessed Man" will throw the wedding fruits to the people who see the bride, and say happy words while scattering, including: scatter a handful of chestnuts, scatter a handful of dates, and the blessing of adding children and grandchildren is coming. This year I will give birth to a girl, next year I will give birth to a boy, and the older one will help the younger one run. Sprinkle the wedding fruits on the new bed sheet, and the old man and the old woman don't have to worry. This year I will eat your wedding fruits, and next year I will eat your red eggs. The bed is full of chestnuts and money, and the house is full of children and grandchildren. Many children, many blessings, many happy events, all the children and grandchildren will be the top scholar. The newlyweds eat open cakes, drink open tea and eat longevity noodles together. Before eating the wedding noodles, the veil should be lifted and weighed with a scale. When picking, say happy words: The red veil is more than four feet long, and eight coins weigh down the four corners. No one walks in front and no one drags behind, and the children in the house are all smiling. When the bride and groom drink the wedding wine, the happy words are: Take the wedding wine, and the two hold hands. After drinking the wedding wine, love each other until old age. When the bride and groom eat wedding noodles, the happy words are: Eat a mouthful of noodles, drink a mouthful of soup, and the bride's heart is warm. Eat noodles, drink soup, let you and your wife have a good time. Return to the ship: It is equivalent to returning to the door on land. On that day, the newlyweds and the grandmother Quanfu who accompanied the bride's family go home to visit their parents and relatives and friends who have not yet dispersed, and have breakfast and lunch at the bride's family. On this day, the newlyweds have limited time to visit each other. The bride and groom do not accompany the guests to drink at the wedding banquets of the two families. They must return to the husband's house at noon when they return to the boat, symbolizing that their future life will be "prosperous" and prosperous. Double Fish: Equivalent to the post-marriage in-laws on land. That is, on the night of the man and woman's wedding, the bride's parents and main relatives are invited home, and a banquet is set up to entertain them warmly. The in-laws of both sides sit at separate tables, with men accompanying men and women accompanying women. "Double Fish" means that when the host and the guest are eating fish, the in-laws of both sides simultaneously pick out the largest spines from the paddles (fins) of a pair of large carps, which is called "Double Fish of In-laws". While eating, say happy words: A small carp weighing four taels, swimming from the upper river to the lower river. Hold a Ganoderma lucidum in its mouth, put it on a gold plate and a silver plate, and bring it to the two in-laws. Eat the head first and then the tail, leaving the paddles in the middle. After the double fish, there are also happy words when wiping the table. While wiping, say: The small sticky cloth is square, I will wipe the table for the host. One touch of gold, two touches of silver, three touches and you have a cornucopia. In the cornucopia, golden flowers bloom. You will be the first family to enjoy wealth and prosperity. There is also: small rag, four-season flower, I wipe the table for Xi Daddy's house. One touch of gold, two touches of silver, three touches and you will have a cornucopia. The cornucopia gathers wealth. I don't know how much wealth the master has. Say ten thousand, say a thousand, and you will enjoy wealth and prosperity for thousands of years. Wedding wine order: wine order, like other speeches in the wedding procedure, is a feature of the fisherman's wedding. Similarly, wedding wine order is also a scene in the wedding. Every action at the banquet has a speech of varying lengths to help with the wine. There are many kinds of wine orders, including hand towel order, waiter order, pole (chopstick) order, spoon (soup spoon) order, wine pot order, cup holding order, tea order, wine order, fish eating order, thank the chef order, guest order, etc. Close relatives and close friends who attend the banquet come to congratulate the couple, and some even bring three or four delicious and distinctive dishes to add luster to the host family. At the end of the banquet, the Quanfu people will also say the above words of joy, which are: Well said, well said, you will go home stepping on gold ingots. The gold ingots should not be big, and they can be loaded in the front and rear cabins. There should not be too many gold ingots, and they can be loaded in small boats and towed by large boats. All the procedures in the fishermen's wedding, such as urging the makeup, crossing the boat, returning to the boat, double fishing, and guest banquet, are completed in one day. In the wedding customs of land residents, it takes three days to complete the ceremony, but the fishermen can complete it in one day. Fishermen call it "three sesames and one fight". After the founding of New China, after a series of social changes, customs and habits have changed, and marriage etiquette has also changed. As fishermen settle on land, their living habits gradually merge with the customs of the land.