Notes » Betrothal Bounty
Notes » January 2004
Betrothal Bounty
My brother-in-law is getting married.
Everyone in the family is excited about the pending nuptials. He's the last of the children to make the commitment, and being the only male of three siblings, it's a big deal.
When he and his fiancée dropped by with a raft of traditional Chinese betrothal presents, I was interested in the variety of items. Gifts vary from family-to-family, but the symbolism, most of which revolves around the concept of unity, is important.
Aside from a plant, bulbs and a lily, they brought: a selection of cakes; two gold-painted coconuts with the Chinese word hei (two hei together means double happiness) painted in red; two cans of seafood; packs of dried foods, including seafood, mushrooms, walnuts, lychee and longan; two oranges; two tangerines with leaves; a freshly killed and plucked rooster and hen; along with several other items I couldn't identify.
The wedding takes place Friday, February 13. According to the Chinese Almanac, it's an auspicious day to tie the knot.
It's only unlucky if you're poultry.
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