Kates_History

 Weddings are very important to everyone, especially the bride and groom. In most weddings the parents of both the bride and groom contribute money, housing, opinions, everything. In the America the in-laws sometimes don't get along, but in Chinese culture they must. When the boys find the bride to be they send gifts to the girls parents (CHCP. Org). Then both sets of parents exchange family crodentials as tokens of intentions. Like in america the Chinese Cultures the preparation is much more exciting and stressful than the actual wedding. Unlike in America where the wedding takes place in the church either the bride or groom attend Chinese conduct the wedding in the family altar, where they paid homage to Heavan and Earth, the family ancestors, and the kitchen gods. The kitchen God is believed to spend a whole year on earth and right before the end of the year he returns to heaven and tells the emperor what each family has done and depending whether its good or bad the emperor will reward them or punish them.(CHCP. Org) So since the want to be rewarded the wedding must take place where the Kitchen god can see it.  Another big event in Chinese culture is funerals. Like weddings they must say good bye to the person exactly right or the deceased might not be able to go to heaven. To start off when someone dies the whole house is covered with red, a white cloth is hung over door way, and all mirrors are taken down and put away, because it is believed if someone see's a coffin in their reflection they will be the next to go (China culture. Org). There will also be an undertakers who will oversee all the familys actions when preparing a corpse so that they do not do anything wrong. Every funeral is different, such as for elders they must have a prescribed form including status, age, ext. Although some deaths are totally unexpected most funeral preperations are started before the actual death. A lot of funerals can be expensive but you can very some things to very the price. In chinese cultures they must do exactly the right thing, even if it means the family goes into dept. Since it is the last time they are on earth they must do everything right. In the book they talk about the coins and bills they put in the coffin so that they can buy their way into heaven. Another belief in Chinese culture is that no one should should show respect to someone younger than them. So if a baby dies no one can be at the funeral, not even the parents. The baby would be buried and that would be the end. If a child dies only younger siblings and family members can be at the funerals, not the parents.