Traditional Chinese Wedding

In Chinese society, the wedding reception is known as xǐ-jǐu (喜酒, literally joyful wine), and is far more important than the wedding itself which tends to be a brief civil ceremony. The timing and the characteristics of the reception vary strongly from locale to locale. They are often extremely elaborate and expensive, often costing several years' salary of the groom's family. However, because cash in the form of red envelopes and jewelry (particularly gold) are given as wedding presents, and because the wedding hosts keep very careful track of the cost of the gifts (jewelry is given with a receipt which indicates the actual cost of the gift), the cost of the reception is effectively split among the wedding guests. Wedding receptions also build local community solidarity. As each couple weds, their wedding reception is in effect financed with gifts from the other members of the community with the expectation that the new couple and their family will give gifts in future wedding receptions within the village.

The amount of money contained in the envelope usually ends with an even digit, for instance 88, 168 are both lucky numbers, as odd numbered money gifts are traditionally associated with funerals. At weddings, the amount offered is usually intended to cover the cost of the attendees as well as a goodwill to the newly weds.

Role of the bride and bridegroom

1. Barricade the door
The bridegroom must pick up the bride at her home around noon. The banquet itself starts in the evening.

Upon arriving, the bridegroom's party will be barred by the bride's friends, who will not open the door and "surrender" the bride until they are given hong bao (red envelop of money). This is the occasion of much good-natured haggling before the two parties agree.

2. Serving tea
After the bridegroom enters the bride's house, the newlyweds together will kneel down to serve tea to the bride's parents.

The bride expresses her appreciation for her parents' care, and the bridegroom promises to take good care of their daughter.

3. Sweet soup
Then the couple will eat sweet soup made of lotus seeds (lianzi) and jujubes (hongzao). In Chinese, the combination of lotus seeds and jujubes means "having a son soon."

4. Leave the wealth
When the bride is about to leave her home, she will be carried on the back of her brother, cousin or uncle (a male relative, not her father). This signifies that by joining another family the bride will not take luck and wealth away from her parents' home.

5. Three bows
During the very important wedding ceremony, usually at the banquet, the couple bows three times: first to Heaven and Earth, then to their parents, finally to each other. Then they are really married.

6. Jiao bei jiu (union of wine cups)
The bridegroom and the bride each take a glass of wine and stand facing each other. Then, with their arms intertwined, they drink. This means the marriage has bonded the two tightly together.

7. Toasting and cigarette lighting
Everybody agrees this is the most tiring part of the wedding. The newlyweds must go to each table (of at least 10 people) and toast everyone to thank them for coming. More than one tipsy bride has toppled.

The bride must light cigarettes for all men present, because the word for "light" (yang) in Chinese sounds like the word for "luck." The idea is making it difficult to light, so the bride must keep trying and the guests must repeatedly use the word.

8. Nao dongfang (tease in the bridal chamber)
After the wedding banquet, which usually takes around three hours, the newlywed's relatives and friends crowd into the bridal chamber to tease the couple.

For guests, it is often the most fun, but can be difficult for the bride and bridegroom, especially since they have been drinking. The guests will come up with funny - and sometimes embarrassing - tricks, games or skits that the couple will perform in front of everyone.

---

Chinese Girls For Dating at ChnLove.com
Chinese dating services that help you find gorgeous Chinese girls for love and marriage. Free to view photos, videos, send Cupid Note, and receive initial contacts. Find Your Match Today. Join Free!

Personal Update

Finally, after all the hassles described before, I received my certified divorce decree paperwork back from the Chinese Consulate in Texas. They actually under promise and over deliver, so I have to say that they are much more expedient than their honorable colleagues in Chicago who waited almost 10 days after processing to return my paperwork. Still, a big thank you to all the hard workers at the Chinese Consulate offices! Now I just need to talk to my travel agent on Tuesday and have her find a cheap flight and then take out a loan for the wedding!

Chinese Girls For Dating at ChnLove.com
Chinese dating services that help you find gorgeous Chinese girls for love and marriage. Free to view photos, videos, send Cupid Note, and receive initial contacts. Find Your Match Today. Join Free!

Good News for Chinese Wanting to Visit the United States

Outbound travel from China to the United States is expected to be easier for Chinese tourists, according to officials from the US embassy in China during a webchat with China Daily Wednesday in Beijing.

"As tourism companies are preparing for the increased number of Chinese tourists to the US, there will be a lot more companies that are able to offer Chinese-speaking tour guides," said Darrel Ching, commercial officer with the US embassy.

Ching added that signs in Chinese will be posted not only at entry points but also at tourists' sites which will be helpful for the large number of Chinese visitors.

The first Chinese tour group is set to arrive in US on June 17, as a result of China granting approved destination status to the US to facilitate outbound tourist group travel to the North American country last December.

In order to travel to the US, potential Chinese visitors must apply for a visa, which is considered tough by many Chinese. Nancy Abella, Non-immigrant Visa Section Chief Officer of the US embassy in China, says the number of people getting visas to go to the US is growing every year and that won't be an obstacle.

"Already last year in 2007 the US embassy and consulate in China issued well over 400,000 visas. That was an increase of 17 percent from the previous year. More than four out of five people who apply for visas in China get their visas," Abella said.

Ching adds with the increasing China market, many US destinations are keen to have Chinese tourists. He returned from a travel and tourism show in Las Vegas last week and reported many US destinations expressed wanting to be more active in the China market.

"With the opening of the market, there will be more and more industry players come into the picture and with that will be more products and services available to all consumers," he said.

According to the US Department of Commerce, the numbers of Chinese visitors is forecast to reach 579,000 by 2011.

Chinese Girls For Dating at ChnLove.com
Chinese dating services that help you find gorgeous Chinese girls for love and marriage. Free to view photos, videos, send Cupid Note, and receive initial contacts. Find Your Match Today. Join Free!

ADVICE: How do you call internationally to or from China on your cell phone cheaply?

As you probably know, to call China, usually you need to dial the International access code of 001 in America followed by the country code of +86 then your fiancée's full phone number. But this is a very expensive call. Usually $2.00 a minute or more from your mobile phone!

But there is a way to make it cost very little or even free! No computers, downloads, or phone cards necessary. Just dial and talk internationally and pay local rates! How does it work? You give RebTel the phone number of a fiancée in China or any other country, and they give you a local number for them. Save this number on your mobile so you can call your friend whenever you want at the local rate. And the best thing is this: It will appear that your call is from a local number and your fiancée can call that number back to reach you for free!

This will also be a very convenient and inexpensive way for your fiancée to call her family in China once you are married and she is living with you.

Chinese Girls For Dating at ChnLove.com
Chinese dating services that help you find gorgeous Chinese girls for love and marriage. Free to view photos, videos, send Cupid Note, and receive initial contacts. Find Your Match Today. Join Free!

ADVICE: How do you get Chinese channels in North America for your spouse?

Once you get your spouse or fiancée to your home country, how are you going to make sure that she can still watch her favorite TV shows? Especially if her mother comes over to help raise your kids while you work! Well there is a inexpensive way to do that in Canada and the USA called KyLin TV. It is an IP TV box that gets great Chinese programming through the Internet!

Best yet, these channels are available in many Chinese dialects such as Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese, Minnan, etc. plus Korean, Japanese, English, French, and Spanish!

Right now (until 14 June 2008) you can get these channels for only $8.88 a month (normally $16.99) and a free converter box. Just be sure to use this link: https://www.kylintv.com/ and this Friends and Family code: NS8B1C to get a free month of service!

Here are just some of the many channels that you can get with more being added monthly:

	Channel: CCTV-4 (CCTV - International Channel Chinese) CCTV-4 specializes in new reports, presenting domestic and international news in a timely and objective manner. It also delivers entertainment, educational, and consulting services.
	Channel: CCTV-9 (CCTV-International Channel English) CCTV-9 reports news and information to its global audience, while delivering other programs including culture, entertainment and documentaries.
	Channel: CCTV-Entertainment (CCTV-Entertainment Channel) CCTV Entertainment Channel has a fantastic range of entertainment programs including TV dramas, music, Chinese opera, Chinese acrobatic, galas and much more.
	Channel: CCTV-Opera (CCTV-Traditional Opera Channel) CCTV Traditional Operas Channel is mainly designed for North American viewers. It focuses on sharing the arts of Chinese traditional opera, developing Chinese culture, and to meet the demands of traditional opera lovers overseas.
	Channel: CCTV-E (CCTV-International Channel-Spanish) CCTV-E emphasizes on news and information. The programs also offer a wide variety of other genres including educational programs, interviews, as well as artistic and recreational shows.
	Channel: CCTV-F (CCTV-International Channel-French) CCTV-F delivers news and other programs including culture, life, and entertainment shows, providing a comprehensive coverage on the latest news and events from China.
	Channel: HTV (Hunan TV) As the top entertainment channel from mainland China, Hunan TV has dynamic TV programs appealing to the Chinese audience.
	Channel: BTV (Beijing TV) Beijing TV focuses primarily on culture and history, as well as fashion, lifestyle and travel. BTV covers information, culture, life, sports, children, technology and entertainment.
	Channel: Dragon TV Dragon TV's programming reflects China's modern urban lifestyle and covers many TV series, entertainment shows, sports and foreign language programs.
	Channel: TVS (Guangdong Southern TV) TVS features attractive programs such as current affairs, cultural exploration and entertainment shows for Cantonese communities in North America who wish to keep in touch with life back in China.
	Channel: CMC (China Movie Channel) China Movie Channel focuses on broadcasting outstanding Chinese films. Its rich movie resources offer an overall impression of China's filming industry.
	Channel: Jiangsu Int'l (Jiangsu International Channel) Jiangsu International Channel aims at offering insightful news of what is happening in Jiangsu with programs including culture, information, entertainment, economy and more.
	Channel: Fujian Straits TV Fujian Straits TV's programs range from Chinese ancient history to splendid culture to beautiful scenery to news and current affairs.
	Channel: ZTV Int'l (Zhejiang International TV) ZTV programs include news, current affairs, economics, and service information. ZTV International is aiming to create programming that reflects Zhejiang's economic and pursue the distinction among its peers.
	Channel: Xiamen Star TV Xiamen TV provides a wide range of programs mainly in Minnan dialect that covers entertainment, culture, arts, and news programs.
	Channel: CYRTV (China Yellow River TV Station) CYRTV targets overseas Chinese in the US and foreigners who are interested about China. Their goal is to promote China, share the culture and build a bridge for cultural exchanges.
	Channel: Cathay TV Programs on Cathay TV are mostly from Mainland China that focus on bringing the latest information from China into North America and Canada. Cathay TV will continue to strengthen the bridge between East and West.
	Channel: Trading Day Trading Day offers programs that keep viewers informed on the latest financial news and stock market changes. Experts will discuss topics on stocks, securities, bonds, financial markets and other investment opportunities.
	Channel: Zhonghe TV Zhonghe TV is a cultural info-news channel that focuses on five types of multi-media markets including movies, TV series, music, traditional opera and entertainment.
	Channel: Kunlun Drama Channel The TV dramas broadcasted on the Kunlun Drama Channel mainly feature genres such as history, war, action and crime. In addition to its routine hit features, the latest limited-viewing TV dramas released on KyLinTV's VOD service are also included as well.
	Channel: Yangtse Drama Channel The TV dramas broadcasted on this channel mainly feature programs revolving around enchanting love stories or family stories. In addition to its routine features, the latest limited-viewing TV dramas released on KyLinTV's VOD service are also included as well.
	Channel: Oriental Education Channel The Oriental Education Channel offers the best educational programs for the overseas Chinese of different age groups who are interested in learning about the Chinese culture. Aiming to promote the cultural exchange between China and America, KyLinTV hopes to provide our subscribers with the best Chinese language educational programs produced in China.
	Channel: Phoenix InfoNews Phoenix InfoNews Channel provides a blend of information and general/financial news to Chinese viewers from a perspective which is global in both content and values.
	Channel: Phoenix North America Phoenix North America Chinese features high quality programming that caters to Chinese communities in North America yearning to stay in touch with what's happening back home.
	Channel: ATV (Asia TV) ATV provides a full range of television entertainment to Chinese communities throughout the United States. This channel broadcasts the best of entertainment and the most up-to-date current events from Hong Kong.
	Channel: Sun TV Sun TV showcases Chinese culture and heritage, offering programs on a variety of topics including history, antiquity and the arts, painting, literature, fashion and the lives of extraordinary Chinese personalities.
	Channel: STAR CHINESE CHANNEL STAR CHINESE CHANNEL is consistently one of the most popular channels in Taiwan. It presents a wide range of Mandarin-language general entertainment programs including talk shows, game shows, contemporary and costume dramas, lifestyle and variety shows.
	Channel: Sky Link TV Sky Link TV offers programs that serve the Chinese speaking population in North America, carrying the most popular TV dramas, entertainment shows, financial talk shows, movies, and many other dynamic programs.
	Channel: Dai-Ai TV Da Ai TV presents the goodness and beauty of humanity to its audience. Various programs are provided including news and cultural series around the clock.
	Channel: BLTV BLTV provides in-depth news coverage, English news and overseas BL news, aiming to bring care and warmth to human beings, recording the true face of this age.
	Channel: Dimo TV (PTS Dimo Digital Channel) PTS Dimo Digital Channel targets both Taiwan and overseas markets. PTS Dimo TV broadcasts programs such as dramas, international news, foreign documentary, and several other programs.
	Channel: Good TV GOOD TV strives to serve all types of family oriented programs to its broad audiences. This channel focuses on delivering educational oriented programs from many Asian countries to its North American audience.
	Channel: IAVC IAVC carries programs from Taiwan's three major TV Networks, TTV, CTV and CTS. IAVC has been taking the lead as the No. 1 Chinese content provider in North America.
	Channel: Sino TV SINO TV offers a wide range of Chinese programming including drama series, movies, variety shows, cooking programs, children programs, and locally produced news and public affair related and informative programs.
	Channel: Sino Vision SinoVision is a Chinese language television program provider serving the Chinese community with locally produced news, and a variety of entertainment programs in Mandarin.
	Channel: LA-18 LA-18 is the leading Asian language TV station in the United States. This channel provides a unique assortment of news, sports, drama, and entertainment programs.
	Channel: Variety Variety is a self-created channel of KyLinTV. With content mainly based on entertainment and the arts, it provides them with a relaxing environment. At the same time, the channel also offers educational programs and important information.
	CHANNEL [V] By incorporating music and variety-show set-ups, Channel [V] has captured the adolescent audience with its innovative programming mix. Other than screening the latest chart-topping music videos...
	STAR CHINESE MOVIES 2 STAR CHINESE MOVIES 2 is a channel you won’t want to miss. Showing the world’s largest contemporary Chinese film library, STAR CHINESE MOVIE 2 showcases the best movies from the golden age of Hong Kong productions from the 1970s to the 1990s. This channel feasts a line-up of box office blockbusters featuring top rated movies stars and directors. Watch you favorite idols such as Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat, Jet Li, Stephen Chow and more!
	MASTV MASTV is committed to delivering viewers' quality programming on news and information, finance, home and world events, entertainment, cultural, sports and more.
	HZTV Hwazan TV is a Buddhist platform of a new century. The establishment of Hwazan TV is to accomplish Ven. Master Chin-Kung's ideal and detached thoughts and it uses technology such as satellite and internet to preach Buddha dharma. The mission of Hwazan TV is to spread peace throughout the world.
	UCTV UCTV is a Chinese language Buddhist channel from Taiwan aimed at spreading the teachings of Buddha to the rest of the world. UCTV programming seeks to inspire today's society with Buddhist teachings, increase quality of life and create a unified peaceful society.
	NETV Founded by the Communication Center of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, New Eyes Television(NETV) is dedicated to spread the words of Christianity and to serve the public interest to expresses strong care for the common people.

Chinese Girls For Dating at ChnLove.com

Chinese dating services that help you find gorgeous Chinese girls for love and marriage. Free to view photos, videos, send Cupid Note, and receive initial contacts. Find Your Match Today. Join Free!

Always double check the government!

So I just got my package back from the Chinese Consulate in Texas.

They were unable to process the certification!

Why? Because I did not double-check the State Department of the State of Texas who in their certification, put the wrong county name and county clerk. Since they did not match, the Chinese Consulate could not take certify the documents.

Thankfully the State of Texas was very apologetic and is sending out a new certification for free without making me send them the certified copies of my divorce papers again.

Chinese Girls For Dating at ChnLove.com
Chinese dating services that help you find gorgeous Chinese girls for love and marriage. Free to view photos, videos, send Cupid Note, and receive initial contacts. Find Your Match Today.

Call internationally to or from China for the cost of a local call or FREE!

Sine you need to be calling your fiancée in China, I thought I would add information about the service I use ti make it as cheap as calling a local phone number from the convenience of my mobile phone!

No computers, downloads, or phone cards necessary. Just dial and talk internationally and pay local rates! How does it work? You give us the phone number of a friend in another country, and we give you a local number for them. Save this number on your mobile so you can call your friend whenever you want at the local rate. And the best thing is this: If they call you back from the virtual local number you called from, the call will actually be free for you! This works to and from almost any country in the world!

read more | digg story | hao hao story

Learn Mandarin, Cantonese, or any other dialect of Chinese for FREE!

Chinese Girls For Dating at ChnLove.com
Chinese dating services that help you find gorgeous Chinese girls for love and marriage. Free to view photos, videos, send Cupid Note, and receive initial contacts. Find Your Match Today. Join Free!

Step Four: Documents your lawyer will need for a K-1 or K-3 Visa for your spouse

1. FORMS NEEDED:

The forms you will need are:

• 2 (4 for K-3) Copies of you and your spouse's (and any foreign children) birth certificate, both front and back
• 2 Copies of any naturalization papers (If Applicable)
• 2 Copies of marriage certificate
• 2 Copies of you and your spouse's divorce/death decree(s) ( If Applicable)
• 2 passport sized pictures for you and spouse(Specifications attached)
• 3-5 Pictures of you together with place and date written on back on photostock paper and regular photo size
• Any evidence of relationship (10-25 pictures, e-mails, etc)

The forms they will need original signatures and hard copies from you are:

• I129F
• 130
• 325A
• G28

The forms they will need original signatures and hard copies from your spouse are:

• 325A

2. TRANSLATION INFORMATION:

Please Note:

All documents must be translated. Please have his/her documents translated. He/she can have a friend translate, that person should simply type out the translated text, then add at the bottom:

I certify that I am competent to translate from the (language of document) to English and that the above is a correct and true translation to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signed: (Translators full name)

Date:______________________

Chinese Girls For Dating at ChnLove.com
Chinese dating services that help you find gorgeous Chinese girls for love and marriage. Free to view photos, videos, send Cupid Note, and receive initial contacts. Find Your Match Today.