Double Happiness (simplified Chinese: 双喜; traditional Chinese: 雙喜; pinyin: shuāngxǐ; sometimes translated as Double Joy or Double Happy) is a Chinese ornamental design commonly used as a decoration. It is a ligature "囍" composed of two Chinese characters 喜 (xǐ, 'joy'), compressed to assume the square shape of a standard Chinese character (much like a real character may consist of two parts), and often modified in various ways. The shuāngxǐ motif often appears on decorative items associated with Chinese New Year celebrations and weddings, the latter of the two is often found all over the wedding ceremony, as well as on gift items given to the bride and groom. The color of the character is usually red, occasionally black.
A few days before the wedding, the bride's family send dowry to the groom's family, or the couple's new home nowadays. Dowry is mostly composed of daily necessities for the new home, such as bedding, linen and dining set, etc. This is an opportunity for the bride's family to display their love for their daughter as well as their wealth. The groom's family will invite a respected female relative or friend to "set the bridal bed" at the new home. In some part of China in the old days, a unmarried young boy will be invited to sleep in the bridal bed the night before the wedding to bring fertility to the newlyweds.
Write up: Courtesy of Wikipedia & China Bridal
Photo by Sidney Toh
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