More than 8 million couples got married in China in 2021. While this is a decline from previous years, it outranks many other countries, including the U.S., at fewer than 2 million marriages.
Chinese weddings are stunning events, celebrating the newly married couple but also honoring family and tradition.Chinese wedding traditions includethe Chinese wedding cake. These brightly colored pastries come in a variety of flavors and fillings and hold symbolic meaning for the couple.
There are several Chinese wedding cake traditions and styles. Keep reading to learn which colors, frostings, and fillings are best for your wedding.
Chinese Wedding Traditions – Guo Da Li
Traditionally Chinese wedding cakes are seen at the pre-wedding ceremony called the Guo Da Li, but you can include them during any part of your wedding celebration. The cakes, also known as xi bings, are traditional pastries with a variety of fillings. These cakes are an important part of Guo Da Li, which happens a few weeks before the wedding.
During the Guo Da Li, the groom gives gifts to the bride’s family, which can include roast pork, jewelry, and xi bings. These betrothal gifts are symbolic of the groom’s sincerity in getting married and a promise that the bride will be well taken care of after the wedding.
This event also serves as an announcement of the couple’s marriage. The bride’s family and friends pass out the cakes along with their wedding invitations.
In the past, the Guo Da Li took place about two to three months before the wedding. A matchmaker or elder relative would accompany the groom as he presented gifts and dowry money to the bride’s family. This also showcased the financial stability of the groom.
Now the event takes place two to three weeks before the wedding, but many of the traditions remain the same. Gifts are given in tiered wedding baskets, which represent prosperity for the couple. The more tiers, the better.
Once the exchanging of gifts is complete, the bride’s family hangs wedding decorations and distributes the wedding cakes and invitations to family and friends.
While the xi bings are a gift for the bride’s family during Guo Da Li, it is taboo for the bride to eat them. It is considered the equivalent of the bride eating away her own happiness and means she will not have a fulfilling marriage.
Different Cakes and Fillings
You’ll find different cakes with various fillings, each with its own symbolism for the betrothed couple. You will often see dragon and phoenix cakes and different twill pastries. A twill represents expensive clothing.
Chinese wedding cakes often have rich fillings surrounded by a crispy crust. One of the most popular is the wife cake or sweetheart cake. It is a flaky pastry filled with winter melon paste.
The wife cake comes from the story of a young Chinese couple who were in love, living in a poor village. When the girl’s father-in-law became ill, they used all of their money to buy medicine, but it wasn’t enough. The girl sold herself as a slave to get more money, but her husband created a cake sweetened with winter melon and sold it on the street until he had enough money to get her back.
The red twill cake is a puff pastry that is filled with red beans. The beans are symbolic of the couple’s love. The red color is associated with auspiciousness and celebration.
Also popular is the white twill cake filled with lotus seed paste. The lotus is a symbol of fertility.
The yellow twill cake is sweet and savory. It is filled with mung bean paste and seasoned with salt, sesame oil, sugar, and spring onion. The mung beans represent the groom’s success in his career and in love. Yellow is a royal color representing power and prosperity.
Importance of Dragons and the Color Red
At a traditional Chinese wedding, you may see dragons and an abundance of the color red. This is more than a theme or wedding color but is important in Asian wedding traditions. Xi bings are often stamped with the characters for “double happiness,” usually in red.
Traditional Chinese wedding attire includes a red dress worn by the bride, as the color is believed to ward off evil. Red symbolizes luck, happiness, and joy, as well as representing fertility, vitality, and celebration. It is a prevalent color in Chinese culture.
If you attend a Chinese traditional wedding, you might see a dragon dance, also referred to as a lion dance during the event. This dance is meant to bless the couple, ward off evil spirits, and wish them a long and happy marriage. Chinese wedding traditions also include the dragon, which is a symbol of power, strength, and good luck.
Ordering Chinese Wedding Cakes
If you are planning to order xi bings for your upcoming celebration, place your order about three months before the Guo Da Li. Couples should order extra to ensure they don’t run out. Some couples also opt to gift xi bings as a wedding favor on their wedding day.
You can also opt to make your own. Check out this recipe to make traditional wife cakes.
Wedding Traditions Across the World
Chinese wedding traditions are steeped in history and symbolism. From the wedding cakes served to family and friends to the dresses and dances included in their celebrations.
Do you want to find out more about wedding traditions across the globe? Check out our other blogs and find worldwide wedding traditions in various countries.
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