The Mongolian people have the custom of honoring the old and loving the young. Their proverbs say: "Honor the virtuous and love the old", "Honor the mother who feeds the breast, respect the teacher who teaches the alphabet", "The experience of the old man educates the man, the light of the sun warms the man " and so on. All these show respect and love for the elderly.
Life celebration is a ceremonial celebration held by Mongolian people for the elderly. The Mongolian people's life celebration ceremony and the passing of the current calendar year are held when they are old. Generally, birthday is celebrated at sixty, seventy, eighty and ninety. However, when parents are alive, children and grandchildren are not allowed to celebrate their birthday even when they are 70 or 80 years old. The thirteenth, twenty-fifth, thirty-seventh, and forty-ninth of the current calendar year are not very lively, but the sixty-first, seventy-third, and eighty-fifth of the current calendar year are a different story. Those who have passed the current year generally do not celebrate their birthday. Bahraini Mongolian elderly people over the present 95 years old will not count the age, and do not do a hundred years old.
The date of wishing life and passing this calendar year is generally in the first month. As long as there are to the old man birthday family, the host family's children from the end of the year to prepare for the feast. On the first day of the year, they start to meet the guests who are coming to celebrate the birthday. Some people also choose an auspicious day, and then notify the folks, friends, relatives and so on.
The birthday ceremony is relatively simple, the table, the guests are for the old man toast, offering hatha and gifts. Toast four, six, eight bowls of Mongolian called "Jurai". Then they bow to the host to express their gratitude for the hospitality of the host family. Gifts for birthday celebration usually include: horse, cow, sheep or goat ucha, leather robe, cotton robe, jacket robe, boots, cigarettes, purse, money and so on. Gifts categories generally account for the "three" number. Wish life is over, birthday guests can not return empty-handed, the host family to return the cigarette purse, towels and so on. If it is a child, the moon cake or one or two dollars pocket money.
Hospitality taboos
People come from afar, not happy? China has always been a country of etiquette and hospitality, especially in Mongolia. When you come to visit a Mongolian yurt, you will not only be warmly welcomed by the host, but also feel some national culture that you have never touched or known before. Of course, before entering the life of Mongolians, it is necessary to understand some of their customs and taboos, otherwise, if you go according to their own ideas to act arbitrarily, not only will make a joke, but also will make Mongolian compatriots unhappy.
First of all, to the Mongolian home guests taboo into the house when the lapel tucked in the belt, rolled up the sleeves, and may not be hand-held horse whip into the house. No matter whether you are a guest or a host, you should let the elders and the elderly enter the house first.
After entering the house, it is taboo to sit in a disorderly position. If you are a guest, you should let the guest sit on the upper side of the room, and the guest should ask the elder to sit on the upper side of the room first. In the yurt, it is always the elders who sit on the front side, the men do the west side and the women do the east side.
It is taboo to lose your temper with your children when you have guests present, and you can't scold them. The elders and the elderly speech taboo interruptions, reveal the shortcomings. If you have a question or need to clarify a situation, wait until the person has finished speaking before asking.
If you come to the Mongolian yurt as a guest, the host will immediately offer a bowl of steaming milk tea, and then served up fried rice and a big bowl of a big bowl of cream, milk tofu and milk skin and other dairy products, when the host asked you to taste, do not refuse, or else you will have to hurt the host's heart and make the host feel sorry. Mongolians are not afraid of not others to eat more, the more edible, the more happy the host. After accepting the master's tea and rice, it is taboo to not eat at all; it is taboo to use chopsticks to consume milk food and stand to drink milk and eat milk food; it is taboo to randomly spread down the milk; when you meet others walking by with milk, you can not turn a blind eye to it, you must taste it before you go.
The taboos of drinking tea: taboo on full cups of tea; taboo on pouring tea with the left hand; taboo on pouring tea from the door to the outside; taboo on eating and drinking tea with a long pause.
Consumption of red food taboos: when tasting deji and consuming sheep's back, taboo clothing, except for the ring finger, other fingers are prohibited to sprinkle deji; gnawing bones taboo residual meat scraps; in the consumption of scapula, taboo biting and eating, you should eat with a knife or tearing with your hands; consumption of bones, taboo with each other to knock; the usual meat food, taboo consumption of cow gall bladder and fox meat, dog meat, cat meat.
Eating taboos: taboos on giving guests unsalted tea and rice; taboos on blowing air through the mouth when eating hot rice; taboos on pouring and spreading food; taboos on stretching after meals.
Relative to the hospitality, the host family usually do the preparatory work is also taboo: for example, when cutting meat taboo broken bones, should be disconnected joints; taboo in the meat food put upside down the head and tail; to the pot of rice taboo with a bag pouring; pounding tea taboo counting; pancakes and fried food taboo shouting, saying unlucky language, and so on.
In short, to the pastoral area as a guest, must pay attention to these small daily etiquette on the taboos, which is not only a kind of respect for the Mongolian people, but also a guarantee of a pleasant mood, of course, if you know nothing about these taboos and offended Mongolian compatriots in the case of a sincere apology, they can also be forgiven you, do not know not to blame it.
Girls feast
The day before the wedding, the man will hold a "blessing of the new house ceremony" and the woman will hold a "girls feast". The banquet held by the male party on the day before the wedding is mainly to entertain the representatives of the bridegroom and the guests who come to the wedding, and to hold the ceremony of blessing the new house. This ceremony is the main event of the banquet, first of all, the man to use friends and relatives to send the corset, clothing and groom's bedding, household goods to the new bag organized and arranged, because it is friends and relatives to send the blessing, of course, to let it fill the entire new bag. Next, the celebrant, the groom's and bride's parents, and other relatives and friends are invited to take their seats. At this time, the well-wisher will be a silk khata and colorful thread hanging in the beams and skylights in the middle of the room, in the beams of the room coated in a wooden bowl of milk food Deji a little bit for good luck, and blessed: I wish good luck and prosperity / I wish peace and happiness / in the room with the quercus wood utensils / white roof / two destined lovers / will be tied together for a hundred years of love ......
After some auspicious and beautiful blessings from the well-wishers, the host will offer tea to the guests and people welcoming the bride who attended the ceremony of blessing the new house, and then host a banquet to express his gratitude. The degree of complexity of this banquet is based on the man's wealth to determine. But regardless of wealth, this is one of the most important rituals that must be completed before the wedding. During the groom to toast to the guests, guests are also to take advantage of this joyous day often toast each other and sing until late at night. In some places, according to the length of time to welcome the bridegroom adjusted, and some even all-night fun. The groom's side of the so cheerful and lively, while the bride is on the other side of the bitter tears ......
Anciently, people often say a phrase is "married out of the daughter, splash out of the water", meaning that the daughter from birth is destined to be This is by the woman's special status and human society following the matrilineal clan after the patriarchal society of the female side of the day to be held by the female parents hosted by the girl's feast, inviting the same township friends and relatives of the girls to come to sit with their daughters who are about to get married. Seat before the long-term existence of the decision. Therefore, the daughter is getting married, the parents naturally want to hold a banquet to send off and wish their daughter happiness.
Also on the day before the wedding, the female party to hold a girls' banquet, the banquet is hosted by the female parents, mainly to invite fellow relatives and friends of the girls to sit with their daughters who are about to get married. Before the parents to let their daughters put on a new robe, remove the belt, put on boots, hat to be wrapped up in silk and sewed to wear. When the girls sit down, the mother boiled the first bowl of tea to the girl, the girl tearfully took the mother for the first and last time to their own tea, taste a mouthful of down, and then back to the mother, the mother kowtowed to the mother, thanks to her mother for the grace of parenthood. The mother then brings a bowl of fresh milk for all the girls to taste, and then formally announces to everyone that the girl will soon be married. At this moment, the girl felt sad and cried bitterly, and all the girls, at this scene, also wept together. At this point, the celebrant and relatives came up to comfort: to 18 years old / braid long enough size / married to a remote place / is not a bad thing ......
The girls also stopped crying, sang the "girls feast song", with the lyrics of the girl who will be married to the girl to talk about the feelings of parting: up to get on the horse / please raise the The big lapel of the robe / when dealing with people, remember the fast-talking problem / sewed oblique lapel buttons / do not let the mother-in-law see ......
During the girl's banquet, the parents of the female party also has a task is: fill the wine cups from the invited guests to hire those old town stable, well aware of the etiquette and manners, and good at talking to the elder men and women as a representative of the send-off. Then hire two women who are gentle, decent and hardworking, with parents and children at the top and at the bottom, to be the bride's sister-in-law and sister-in-law (the sister-in-law has to follow the bride to the groom's home for a few days, and the sister-in-law has to stay for a month). In order to prepare in advance for the next day's ceremony of sending off the bride.
The girl's banquet is a small banquet in the woman's family in the Mongolian wedding, but it is more important for the girl to get married, because from now on, she has to leave her parents, sisters and brothers, and take on a family independently, so we can also say that the "girl's banquet" is a station for Mongolian girls to mature!
The etiquette of hospitality
It is the lark that has to sing the most beautiful song,
It is the civilized person that has to be polite;
Without feathers, how big wings can't fly,
Without politeness, even the best appearance is also the others' disgrace.
This is the ancient Mongolian people, the famous two proverbs, vividly reflecting the Mongolian nation is very concerned about the appearance and respect for etiquette of the national atmosphere. The thirteenth century to the Mongolian steppe region of the Galpin said, the Mongolian people "very respect for others, ask each other no matter who are friendly."
Mongolian herders will meet and greet: "Amulet, Sai Bainuo! (Good day)". Hospitality is a prominent feature of Mongolians. For visitors, whether familiar or not, all welcome, the same hello. If they are of the same generation, they ask each other: "Sai Baino! (Hello!)" If they are elders or people who meet each other for the first time, they ask each other: "Ta, Saibainuo! (Hello!)" Then the whole family is greeted! Hello to the pasture! Good day to the livestock! Finally, they ask each other, "Sonin Long Baena" (what's up or what's the news). If the guests are invited into the yurt, the host will lead the way in front of the yurt door, the host will stand on the west side of the door, put his right hand on his chest, bow slightly, point to the door with his left hand and invite the guests to enter the yurt first, after entering the yurt, the whole family will sit down around the guests, with a humble attitude, asking questions and talking eloquently with a big smile, just like a family member who has returned home from a long distance. Then the host will bring fragrant milk tea and fried rice, as well as white grassland milk food. A cup of fragrant milk tea is served to the guest in an exquisite tea set. If the master of the guests to show special respect, often the sweet milk wine, full of pouring in the silver bowl, supported in the white hatha on the end out, respectfully offered to the guests. In the alpine region, there is also the habit of drinking, the Mongolian people regard wine as the essence of food, friends meet to drink, toast is the traditional ritual of herdsmen, guests if the guests show a polite look, the host will be sung in the language of poetry to persuade the wine. Especially in the region of Ordos, persuade the wine song often a song after a song, a song than a song hot, lyrics such as:
"Guests from afar please drink a cup of milk wine, which is the essence of the traditional food of our nation, is the grassland people's deep love and friendship ...... "
Often the guests accept the cup and drink it or pass it on to someone else before the persuasion stops.
Feasts for honored guests or celebratory receptions are held, and it is said that the whole sheep seat is set up. This custom has been passed down to this day. Banquet, generally yurt (big bag) inside the upper, set one, two, three seats, the right corner of the package for the host's hospitality. Guests are seated in the order of VIPs and elders. After the guests are seated, the chef carries the whole goat to the first, second and third seats, the host cuts off a piece of goat's tail with a Mongolian knife and puts it on the head of the goat, then cuts the goat's tail into a number of square pieces and puts it into a plate with both hands above the head and holds it out to the VIP who does the first seat to taste it. Then, the host will be the handle of the dinner knife hands to the first seat of the VIP before the VIP to watch, along with cutting everything, and then lifted back to the kitchen, cut into a number of square pieces, put on the plate, on the seat to eat, as the highest courtesy of the Mongolian people.
Mongolian marriage customs
Marriage system. The Mongols have two kinds of marriage systems, the robbing marriage and the hiring marriage. The snatch marriage is a form of marriage in the slavery society. Before the thirteenth century A.D., the Mongolian society was mostly a robbed marriage system. For example, Genghis Khan's father also quick to put a bald child and the marriage of Mrs. Hahoelein, is a form of marriage. Hire marriage is a form of marriage in feudal society. After the thirteenth century A.D., Mongolia into the feudal society, that is, the universal implementation of the bride price system. But there are still remnants of the bride price system. In the inter-tribal wars, robbing or plundering marriages are still common.
Courting. Before a young man and woman are betrothed, the man has to ask the woman for her hand in marriage. Before the founding of New China, it was usually the man's parents or a commissioned matchmaker who went to the woman's home to ask for her hand in marriage, and if the woman's family agreed, she could be betrothed. According to the traditional Mongolian marriage customs, the man has to ask the woman's family for marriage several times to get the promise of the woman's family. The Secret History of Mongolia, Volume 1, recorded: Yasukai put the Baldy led his son Temujin (i.e. Genghis Khan) to De Xuechan's home to ask for marriage. De Xuechan said: "If you ask for more times before giving, you will be honored; if you ask for less times before giving, you will be despised." Later a Mongolian proverb was formed: "If you ask more, you will be honored; if you ask less, you will be belittled." After the agreement to seek marriage, the male party to bring khata, milk wine and sheep five fork or the whole sheep to the woman's home "set". Female family invited friends and relatives to drink with the guests, said the formal betrothal
Bride. Young men and women betrothed by the male family to the female family gifts, also known as bride price. The amount of bride price by the male family's economic situation. Agricultural areas more gold and silver jewelry, cabinets, clothing for the bride price; pastoral areas often cattle, horses, sheep and other livestock for the bride price. Herdsmen regard "nine" as an auspicious number, the bride price to "nine" as a starting point, from "one nine" to "nine nine", the most No more than eighty-one heads, taking "nine" as the meaning of longevity. If the poor herdsmen do not have nine number of livestock bride price, you can also choose an odd number of less than nine, to three, five, seven head of livestock as bride price, but never choose an even number.
Dowry. The dowry is a gift from the woman's family to her daughter. The Mongolian people are very concerned about the dowry. How much the male side to send bride price, the female side should be accompanied by a corresponding number of dowry. Usually, the woman's dowry is more than the man's gift to the woman's family. Therefore, there is a Mongolian saying: "If you can afford to marry a daughter-in-law, you can't afford to hire a girl."
Choosing an auspicious day. One of the Mongolian wedding customs. It is also known as choosing a wedding day. Before the liberation of the two sexes, after the betrothal, first of all to ask the lama divination, choose the auspicious day, determine the date of marriage. After the auspicious date was chosen, the male family sent a matchmaker and friends and relatives with gifts such as khata, wine, candy, etc., to the female family, with their parents to discuss marriage matters. After the negotiations, the two families began to prepare for the wedding. Generally is to clean the happy room, or new yurt, slaughter cattle and sheep, prepare bride price, dowry and other wedding supplies, notify both sides of friends and relatives, come to congratulate.
Marriage. It is one of the Mongolian wedding customs. In the past, the Mongolian marriage is very grand, and retains the traditional wedding custom of the man to the woman's home to cast the marriage. Marriage is usually the day before the wedding day. Groom in the joyful atmosphere, dressed in colorful Mongolian robes, waist tie colorful belt, wearing a dome red tasseled hat, high leather boots, wearing a bow and arrow. The best man is also dressed in festive attire. Together on horseback, carrying a colorful car and gifts, to the woman's home to marry. When the bridegroom arrives at the woman's home, he first goes around the yurt for a week and presents the woman's home with one "Bumper Sheep" and other gifts. Then, the bridegroom and his best man hold the khat and wine in their hands, and make a toast to the bride's parents and elders one by one, and perform the prostration ceremony. After the ceremony, the bridegroom and bride's family into the meal. In the evening, and set up sheep five fork feast. And hold the traditional ceremony of asking for the name of the geng. The next morning, when the bridegroom set off, the bride by the uncle or aunt to hold on the colorful car. The groom will ride around the bride riding the colorful car three times. Then the bridegroom and the bridegroom take off together.
Wedding. The Mongolian people pay much attention to the wedding ceremony, although the form varies from region to region, but they are all very grand and lively. General pastoral wedding custom is: when the marriage back to the male family, the bride and groom do not get off the horse and cart, the first three laps around the yurt. Then, the bride and groom, the bride and groom through the two piles of fire, to accept the God of fire dust washing. It indicates the purity of love and the prosperity of the new life. After the bride and groom enter the yurt, the first worship Buddha sacrificial stove, and then pay respects to parents and friends and relatives. After the ceremony, the bride's hair is combed by the combing forehead. After combing and dressing, wait for the wedding banquet to begin. Wedding banquet is usually set up sheep back or the whole sheep seat, a variety of milk food, candy everything. Wedding banquet, the groom silver pot, the bride held a silver bowl, to the elders, friends and relatives, one by one, offering Hada, toast. The boys held high silver cups, openly drink; the girls accompanied by the Ma Touqin, singing. Wedding banquets often continue for two or three days, friends and relatives to leave one after another. And the female relatives to stay with the bride to stay one to three days. Sometimes, the bride's mother also sent relatives, to live more than ten days. Separation, mothers and daughters embrace, weeping, expressed reluctance to part.
Worship fire. An important ceremony in the Mongolian wedding. Mongolian people around the world, although the form of fire worship is different. But in the wedding are indispensable content. Bride married to the groom's home, the first to hold a fire ceremony, the bride and groom from the two piles of fire between the two pass through, accept the baptism of fire, so that their love is more pure, unswerving, life is full of happiness, and grow old together. Dulbert Mongolian fire worship ceremony is unique. When the bride into the in-laws, the yard was based on a pile of fire, the groom and the bride to the fire together to sprinkle milk wine, and kneeling kowtow. Standing on the side of the master of ceremonies chanting "fire hymn": the Holy Lord Genghis Khan found the flint, Mrs. Hahoelem mother preserved the fire, with white khaddar, milk wine offerings, the fire of the nation from ancient times to the present day. Please pray for the bride and groom! The divine fire is the witness of your marriage; please bride and groom bow down! The Buddha's light is for you to pass on to the next generation.