Wedding Custom of Danjia Fisher Folk

Wedding Custom of Danjia Fisher Folk

Nominating Unit: City of Yangjiang

Located in the coastal area of the southwest of Guangdong Province, Yangjiang boasts a favorable climate and abundant marine products. It has been the habitat of Danjia fisher folk from the ancient times. Till now, in such areas as Zhapo town on Hailing Island, Dongping Town of the east of Yangjiang, Shaba Town of the west of Yangjiang, Neihe (freshwater) of Yangchun, the traditional wedding custom of Danjia fisher folk has been kept down by the marine dwellers, which is highly characteristic of Danjia marine culture.

When the young men and women of Danjia come to the age of marriage, they must invite a matchmaker, who plays an important role in their future marriage. “A matchmaker is important to a couple just as the mud is important to mending a pan.” With the help of the matchmaker and the approval from the parents on both sides, the two will ask their ancestors about the feasibility of their marriage and then invite a fortune-teller to choose an auspicious day for the wedding. On the wedding day, the groom’s side should embark at 3:00 in the morning to welcome the bride. The previously decorated boat should be loaded with baskets of food and property. At the same time, four healthy couples who have had their own children accompany the groom in the boat.

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When they arrive at the ferry of the bride’s family, the bride’s side has been there much earlier in their boat. When they welcome the bride, they cannot leave the primacy to the bride’s boat. When the bride gets off the boat, she sings Xianshui songs (a kind of folk song) to express her unwillingness to leave her parents and sisters. Before the wedding, a ceremony called ‘washing the garden’ must be held. A rabbi is invited to prevent calamities, avoid evil spirits, and pray for good luck for the newlymarried couple. The wedding banquet is hosted in the fishing boat. Before the banquet, the young men and women will get together to sing Xianshui songs. Three days after the wedding day, the bride must go back to her parents’ home to wash her hair, which signifies the end of the wedding.

Danjia fisher folk lead an aquatic life, which facilitates the forming of the unique marine culture. The wedding custom is characteristic of boats, Xianshui songs, complicated etiquettes, and unique wedding apparel, which reflects the distinctiveness of Danjia culture. Therefore, the wedding custom of Danjia fisher folk is of great value to the study of its culture.

With the development of the society, most fisher folk have landed and settled down. The social environment for the marine wedding of Danjia people has also changed. In addition, the modern wedding with great variety has become a new trend. Therefore, the traditional wedding custom of Danjia fisher folk is in the danger of extinction. Measures should be taken to rescue and protect it.