Chapter 36: The Dowry Money
Chapter 36: The Dowry Money
The bridal gift envelope, while not set to a specific amount, typically comes in two: one containing 9.99 yuan, symbolizing a long and lasting marriage, and the other with a nominal amount, usually 0.99 yuan, just for the sake of it.
Of course, the same envelopes can elicit different reactions from different brides. Some are happy to be taken away, while others may complain about the amount and insist on a larger envelope before they agree to go.
Deng Changfu followed the usual custom, giving one envelope with 9.99 yuan and another with 0.99 yuan.
Guanyong Ying, upon receiving the envelopes, didn't fuss and followed the bridal procession to the groom's home.
Crossing the river, Guanyong Ying took out two coins she had prepared in advance and tossed them into the water. They were two-cent coins.
This was another wedding custom: the bride must toss two coins into the river. Guanyong Ying didn't know the reason, but she followed the tradition as her elders had taught her.
Soon, they passed through the pineapple fields and arrived at Naye Village.
When the bride arrived, the groom's family set off firecrackers to welcome her. Two women with good fortune then helped the bride into the house.
Next, Deng Changfu's sister brought in two basins of hot water and towels for the bride and the wedding guests to wash their faces.
The bride was the first to wash, and she had to toss two coins into the basin, which would then go to the person who brought the water. For the first three days, someone, usually the groom's sister, would help the bride with her washing and bathing.
The bride also had to toss coins for three consecutive days.
After the bride and the wedding guests finished washing their faces, the groom and the bride went to pay respects to the ancestral shrine. At this time, everyone gathered to see how much dowry the bride brought.
The dowry typically included a chest. Wealthier families might provide a high-end antique chest, but Guanyong Ying's family, while not poor, could only afford a new chest made by a carpenter.
Besides the chest, other items in the dowry were gifts from the bride's relatives and friends, such as washbasins, foot tubs, and teapots. There were quite a few items.
"These dowry items are already quite a lot. I wonder how much fabric and bedding are in the chest, and how much dowry money the bride has."
"The bride's price is so high, so the dowry money from her family should be substantial."
"That's not entirely true. The bride's price is high because she gave up her share of the family land and chose to marry early to help her in-laws. If they didn't give her a substantial dowry, it would be unfair."
"..."
The relatives and friends who came to the wedding banquet gathered around the dowry, discussing it. This was one of the most interesting parts of the wedding.
Soon, the bride and groom returned from paying respects to the ancestral shrine, and the guests started to cheer for the bride to open the chest.
Typically, regardless of how much dowry was in the chest, it was opened for the guests to see.
Whether the parents' dowry money was shown to the guests depended on the family's situation. If the family was poor and the dowry money was minimal, the bride wouldn't show it. If the dowry money was substantial, the bride would proudly display it to the guests, as it was a way to honor her parents.
Guanyong Ying was confident. Seeing the guests cheer, she took out the key and opened the chest.
Inside were neatly folded pieces of fabric. The guests carefully examined how many pieces there were and what kind of fabric they were.
Beneath the quilt were two sheets, which Guan Yongying carefully unfolded for the guests to see.
After inspecting these, the guests clamored to see the dowry money, and Guan Yongying did not hesitate to show the generous dowry her parents had given her.
When the guests saw the amount of dowry money—288 yuan—they were all astonished. This sum truly set a new record for dowry money in Naye Village over the past decade.
After all, in those times, the typical dowry was around 200 to 300 yuan. Some parents gave their daughters as little as 20 to 30 yuan, and it was rare for the dowry to exceed 100 yuan. With living conditions being tough, many families reserved their daughters' dowry money to help their sons get married, leaving little for the daughters who had moved away.
Seeing this generous dowry, the guests lavished praise on the bride's parents, making the bride and her entourage feel very honored.
In those days, the authority of a mother-in-law was far greater than in later times. Some domineering mother-in-laws would confiscate the bride's dowry and even the dowry money, then redistribute it as they saw fit.
Fortunately, Deng Changfu's parents were known for their good temper and respect for their new daughter-in-law, so they did not touch the bride's dowry.
After inspecting the bride's dowry and dowry money, the guests took their seats for the wedding feast.
The groom's family had set up nearly thirty tables for the wedding.
Once the feast began, the newlyweds started serving tea to the guests, a tradition where the guests would give red envelopes in return. This custom is still practiced in many places today.
By the time the newlyweds finished serving tea, the guests were mostly full and satisfied.
In modern times, it's common for guests to pack leftovers from wedding feasts, and some even do so before others have started eating, causing awkwardness at the table.
However, in those days, no one would think of packing leftovers from a wedding feast; it would be seen as embarrassing and no one would risk such a loss of face.
Despite the guests not packing leftovers, the hosts did not let them leave empty-handed. Each guest received a five-flavor sausage. If the braised pork belly at their table was left uneaten, the guests would also receive a piece of it and two fried tofu, skewered on a bamboo stick to take home.
Of course, with so many guests, the five-flavor sausages were not as large as two pounds; they were usually around one pound and a few ounces.
This was the standard gift for regular guests. For the bride's entourage, the hosts also gave red envelopes.
The red envelopes for the bride's entourage varied in size. The bride's siblings received larger envelopes, usually three to five yuan, while the other members of the entourage received one to two yuan, depending on the host's generosity.
In Shuangwang, not only did the aunts not participate in the wedding, but the bride's parents did not attend either.
The gift for the matchmaker was a significant one, and it was not given in person at the wedding but delivered to the matchmaker's home later.
After receiving their gifts from the hosts, the guests began to disperse, and the bride's entourage also prepared to leave.
Guan Yongying had been busy all day and hadn't even had time to eat, so she hadn't had much time to think about other things. Now, seeing her familiar family and friends depart, she realized she would be left alone in this unfamiliar place.
Overwhelmed by the thought, Guan Yongying couldn't help but cry once the entourage had left.
(End of Chapter)
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