Wedding in Korea

Wedding ceremonies in Korea are westernized and have become almost the same ceremonies as in the rest of the world. The expansion of Christianity in Korea is the cause. This new type of ceremony (for Korea) appeared for the first time in 1892, but in fact, the traditional wedding ceremony is very different from the contemporary ceremony.


Uihon and napchae

Premarital


Even before the marriage, the process started with 4 steps. The first is called uihon 의혼. Formerly, it was the opinion of families prevail over the will of the couple. They chose the husband or wife, depending on the status of his family. The bride's family used a matchmaker, usually a woman, who spoke to the groom's family. Its role was to present the family of the bride to the groom. It allowed the exchange of information between the two families: the wealth, power, lineage, etc. In most cases, the family accepted the marriage proposal because the broker had previously only considered the respective social status of both parties.

Called second step napchae 납채. It is the sending of a document that is called sajudanja 사주 단자. He mentioned the year, day and time of birth of the groom. They were important because from these figures, one could determine the couple's harmony and good fortune in their future child. The groom's family sent sajudanja so, then the bride's family consulted a soothsayer and returned a letter with the date chosen for the ceremony and the date of receipt of ham 함.

The letter of promise of marriage

Nappye 납폐 is sending ham to the family of the bride, usually the day before the ceremony or the wedding day. Ham is a chest containing gifts. The contents of ham vary slightly in each region. For example, the ham of Seoul, there are three things: a small yellow bag with cotton, soybeans and kidney beans; red silk and blue silk to make the skirt of the bride; and finally the letter of promise of marriage. This letter is very important, we keep it all his life and is placed in the same coffin with the body of the wife to her death concubines could not have it. This letter carefully it bundles with red and black silk and three cords. Finally, the trunk is packed with a red silk fabric and made ​​a node with color fringes gold (symbolizing happiness). Friends of the groom to the bride's wear ham.

Moving the groom to the marriage ceremony is called chinyoung 친영. Usually, the groom rides and spectators walk to these sides. They play music, talk or wish happiness to the couple, but the bride must remain stoic.

The wedding ceremony


Marriage is in six ceremonies.

First, chojarye 초자 례 that celebrates the grace of the ancestors and relatives of the newlyweds. He announced the wedding to the ancestors before the release of the family home. This happens on the morning of the wedding day.

The second ceremony, chonyeorye 초 녀례 chojarye looks like, but it is aimed more directly to parents. It is a promise married to follow the moral teaching of the parents. In fact, it was chojarye and chonyerye chinyoung before, but the Koreans felt real marriage from these two steps.

The third ceremony is jeonanrye 전안례 or ceremony goose. The groom gives the bride a goose, he brings it straight home. The goose lays a lot of eggs, it is the symbol of female fecundity. In addition, this ceremony provides a long married life together, and happiness and prosperity to their descendants.

The fourth ceremony is gyobairye 교배례. This is the first meeting and the first greetings between both spouses. First, the bride curtsied to twice married, the groom then returns her greetings once. Then she made ​​two bows, and finally he told her once.

The fifth ceremony geunbairye 근 배례 is a rite where the newlyweds share and drink alcohol in pots and gourds. Alcohol drinking a cup means that married become husband and alcohol drunk from a gourd represents the harmony of the couple.

The sixth ceremony is hapgoongrye 합 궁례 during which the spouses connect their body, which is the true meaning of marriage. Place the groom is in the east and that of the bride's west on their common layer, in the bridal chamber. When they spend their first night together, they become a real couple.
Traditional marriage in Korea


For this first night, married retire to a room decorated inside the house of the bride. First, domestic workers remove a part of the upper garment of the bride. And the servant of the bride undressed jacket of the groom, and the servant of the groom than the bride. Finally, domestic workers are leaving. The groom remains the rest of the clothes his new wife and they put themselves in the sheets. Traditionally, they could no longer leave the bridal chamber until dawn.


After the wedding

After staying for three days in the house of his wife's family, the groom goes home, where his parents waiting to meet their daughter. He leads the procession on horseback, followed by his wife in a palanquin. It's called woogwi 우귀. Day woogwi, wife set the table with dishes and rice wine she brought from home. She first greetings to her husband's parents, became his new family. It becomes the central element that manages the family and takes care of ancestor worship and education of children. The husband becomes a father and must focus on ensuring financial livelihood of the couple, their creature comforts.