--- SEARCH ---
WEATHER
CHINA
INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS
CULTURE
GOVERNMENT
SCI-TECH
ENVIRONMENT
LIFE
PEOPLE
TRAVEL
WEEKLY REVIEW
Learning Chinese
Learn to Cook Chinese Dishes
Exchange Rates
Hotel Service


Hot Links
China Development Gateway
Chinese Embassies
Info
FedEx
China Post
China Air Express
Hospitals in China
Chinese Embassies
Foreign Embassies
Golfing China
China
Construction Bank
People's
Bank of China
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
Travel Agencies
China Travel Service
China International Travel Service
Beijing Youth Travel Service
Links
China Tours
China National Tourism Administration

Museum Preserves Marriage Culture
Li Xiuliang, 64, runs a museum to preserve the Bouyei ethnic marriage culture in Zhenshan Village in the southwest.

The museum, in Huaxi County of Guizhou Province, is actually part of Li's home. He converted some of his rooms into a museum at a cost of 10,000 yuan (US$1,204) after six years of preparation.

The museum displays more than 400 paintings depicting traditional Bouyei love stories and wedding rites.

"For thousands of years, within the Bouyei culture, young people sing together, and in this way, get to know each other for the purpose of marrying," Li said.

The paintings depict young couples singing together on moonlit hillsides and describe pre- and post-marital conditions and procedures.

"Songs are the best way of expressing people's thoughts, hobbies and per-sonalities. Singing together is such an elegant way to express love," said Li, who married according to these customs.

Other items displayed in the museum include ethnic wedding garments, house-hold items, embroidery and stone and porcelain vessels.

Li said matchmakers once played a crucial role in marriage. In the post-marital period, matchmakers helped to resolve conflicts, and married couples were required to invite some individuals to serve as matchmakers even if they had not done so prior to their marriage.

Li noted that these tradi-tions are increasingly rare as the Bouyei people continue to integrate themselves with the outside world.

(eastday.com November 5, 2002)

Print This Page
|
Email This Page
About Us SiteMap Feedback
Copyright © China Internet Information Center. All Rights Reserved
E-mail: webmaster@china.org.cn Tel: 86-10-68326688