Traditional Miao wedding held in Fenghuang Ancient Town

On the evening of October 15, a distinctive Miao wedding ceremony took place in Fenghuang Ancient Town, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture.

With the ancient town as the backdrop and the Tuojiang River as a witness, a couple exchanged vows in the presence of visitors and friends from all directions. At 19:08 that day, beside the Wanshou Palace in Fenghuang Ancient Town, the bride from Shanghai was dressed in traditional Miao attire and veiled. The local groom from Fenghuang County, wearing Miao clothing, joined relatives and friends toasting with the fragrant door-blocking wine. With blessings and cheers, the festive and lively traditional Miao wedding ceremony officially began.

The bride then sat in a traditional Miao bridal sedan chair. A team of more than 20 people welcoming the bride paraded with loud sounds of suona horns, carrying horse lanterns and shoulder poles.

They marched along the Hong Bridge, East Gate, Archway of Fenghuang Ancient Town, North Gate, and other places. The team occasionally threw candies and red envelopes to onlooking tourists to wish them good fortune, allowing them to experience the unique Miao wedding customs. At the pier of North Gate, children wearing ethnic costumes and colorful makeup performed the tea–leaf picking opera (an ICH item), giving their best wishes to the newlyweds.

Afterwards, the groom and the bride boarded a boat together to enjoy the captivating performance of “Cuicui”. The Miao brothers and sisters sang folk songs on the boat, conveying their heartfelt blessings to the newlyweds. Amidst the beautiful night view of the ancient town, with the blessings of family and friends, the bride and the groom also expressed their feelings to each other through songs. The lively Miao wedding and traditional customs attracted numerous tourists. They took out their mobile phones and cameras to capture the brilliant moment. The ancient town was filled with a romantic, joyful and festive atmosphere.

“The Miao wedding is very interesting, authentic, and full of ethnic characteristics. I’m lucky to have received candies. I also wish the couple a hundred years of happiness and sweetness,” said a tourist from Changsha.

Fenghuang Ancient Town has fully utilized Miao cultural resources, explored the cultural characteristics of Fenghuang, continuously innovated tourism forms, and provided a series of customized services under the theme of “Miao wedding customs,” including wedding photography, wedding planning, and wedding banquets, to meet the diverse needs of tourists and enhance their cultural experiences.