The bride's family perform ritual to worship ancestors and gets ready to set off early in the morning in Xingwen County, southwest China's Sichuan province, Feb. 26, 2019. Yang Yuqiao and Han Yujie, an ethnic Miao couple, tied the knot in traditional Miao style in Wenxing County, southwest China's Sichuan province, Feb. 24-26, 2019. Yang Yuqiao, the 25 year-old groom, works as a tour guide in Xingwen UNESCO Global Geopark, and Han Yujie, the 23 year-old bride, works as a PE teacher in Dahe Miao Township in Xingwen County. During the volunteering work of Huashan Festival for the Miao ethnic group, they got to know each other and fell in love, and later registered their marriage by the end of 2018. The newlyweds' parents decided to organize a three-day wedding following traditional Miao custom. On Feb. 24, the matchmaker was invited to Han's home to settle marriage-related issues. On Feb. 25, friends and relatives helped Yang to decorate the wedding room, make arrangements, and prepare wedding feast, etc. In the evening, respected patriarchs hosted an ancestor worship ceremony. The groom put on new clothes, received presents and kowtowed as courtesy. The bride side's family organized ancestor worship ceremony as well and arranged feast for guests. At about 1 o'clock next morning, the groom's family set off from Gusong Township to the bride's family in Daba Miao Township. At about 3 o'clock, the bride enjoyed a meal with all female members inside the bride's house while male members and the groom's family had a meal outside the house. Covered by red bridal veil, Han was led by her mother out of the room and kowtowed to honor ancestors. Her brother helped her to step upon the bench and throw back a bunch of chopsticks to an apron held by her father. This is called "caidou". After Han's brother carried her on the back to the outside, Han's parents started to cry and chant, a tradition expressing their sentiment and good wish for their daughter. Accompanied by uncles and aunts, the bride walked ahead of the crowds, followed by bridesmaids with red umbrella and relatives and next came by the groom's family. As the crowds moved, they worshiped gods of the Miao ethnic group, which called "dasheng". At about 6 o'clock in the morning, the crowds arrived near the groom's family house and had a rest, during which the bridesmaids circled Han who refined makeup, washed feet and changed clothes. In the groom's home, families from the two sides chatted, congratulated and toasted till noon, and all attendees enjoyed a grand feast. The groom's parents invited a couple living a decent married life to make bed for the newlyweds in the afternoon. Before they were ready to return, the bride's family enjoyed the last meal prepared by the two families. The whole wedding ended with happiness. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)
