The Hair Combing Ritual represents the coming of age of the wedding couple and is perform on the night before the wedding. Before the ceremony, the groom and the bride would have to shower in water infused with pomelo leaves to cleanse off any bad luck, and then put on a new set of pyjamas. Both will start the ritual at the same time.
If the family has a home altar, bowls of glutinous rice ball soup with lotus seeds, red dates are to be place at the altar. 2 candles and 3 joss sticks will be lit at the altar as well.
Preferably, the ritual for the bride is to be performed facing the moon. An elder will comb the hair of the bride/groom thrice and dress their hair. After each stroke, the elder will recite phrases that wish the bride and groom a blissful marriage. (See photography of the paper that comes with comb). The ceremony finishes with the respective parents feeding the couple is red glutinous ball soup.
For Hakka and Cantonese, click here.
For Teochew and Hokkien, click here.
Rest of the Wedding Ceremonial
Betrothal Gift Ceremony 过大礼 (Guo Da Li)
Setting up Matrimonial Bed 安床 (An Chuang)
Fetching the Bride 接新娘 (Jie Xin Niang)
Leaving the Bride’s House 出阁 (Chu Ge)
Entering the groom’s house 过门 (Guo Men)
Returning to bride’s home 三朝回门 (San Chao Hui Men)
