Wedding shoes customs in China

Zhejiang [浙江]- Sewing wedding shoes before sunrise.

The bride from the southern part of Zhejiang [浙江南部] will assemble her own wedding shoes on wedding day before sunrise.

The shoes base, the pink or yellow shoe facing with double phoenix and peony [双凤采牡丹] embroidery, the white shoe inlay with the double joy [双喜] embroidery were pre-made. An unmarried lady with both parents still alive or a grandmother with many children and grandchildren are eligible to pre-make these.

On wedding day before sunrise, the bride will sit on a bucket of rice resting her feet on a rice sieve. She will assemble her wedding shoes with the help of the unmarried lady. The shoes must be completed before sunrise.

Once completed, the wedding shoes are left in the rice sieve and worn just before the bride board the wedding sedan [上轿鞋].

The bride will wear this pair of wedding shoes for three days and then put them away. At the full month of celebration of her firstborn, she will wear this pair of wedding shoes again.

The groom’s black fabric wedding shoes are made by an unmarried lady with both parents still living or a grandmother with many children and grandchildren. He may wear the shoes till they are worn-out.

Fujian [福建]- Wearing the red wedding shoes for life

The wedding shoes customs on Chongwu peninsular [崇武半岛] of Fujian Hui-an [福建惠安], is similar.

The bride will also make her own red embroidered wedding shoes for wearing as she gets on the wedding sedan [踏轿鞋]. The shoes base is made with an inch thick of old fabric or an old shoes base.

The bride will wear her wedding shoes again at any auspicious events such as full month celebrations for her children and grandchildren，and the weddings of her sons.

This practice is referred to as “a pair of red shoes for life” [一双红鞋穿到死] as they are also her burial shoes.

Anhui Wuhu [安徽芜湖]- Swapping of wedding shoes

In Wuhu [芜湖] a pair of homemade wedding shoes each for the bride and groom is included in the bride’s dowry. The bride’s shoes must fit into the groom’s shoes.

On wedding day the bride and groom will swap shoes while entering the bridal chamber to symbolize sharing of harmony [同鞋同偕].

Jiangnan [江南]- Bride wearing the groom’s wedding shoes

For the Han people [汉族] in Jiangnan [江南], the bride will change into the groom’s shoes as she alight the wedding sedan. She will enter the groom’s home in his shoes [踏夫鞋/蹈婿鞋] to symbolize a harmonious marriage.

Lijiang [丽江]- Throwing the groom’s wedding shoes under the bed

The Naxi minority [纳西族] living in Lijiang [丽江] around the Sichuan [四川], Yunnan [云南] area will play a trick on the groom with his wedding shoes.

The Naxi bride will present her in-laws and groom with new shoes according to their wedding customs. In the wedding chamber, the gate-crashers will snatch the groom’s new wedding shoes and throw them deep under the bridal bed.

This forces the groom to humble himself when he bends to retrieve his shoes for wearing [换脚鞋]. Thus, a harmonious marriage is ensured.

Jiangsu Haizhou [江苏海洲]-
unbuttoning the bride’s blouse before she removes the groom’s wedding shoes.

In the Jiangsu Haizhou [江苏海洲] area once the gate-crashers leave the bridal chamber, the groom will unbutton one button of the bride’s blouse. This wedding custom is referred to as “releasing or opening bosom” [解怀/开怀]; the first private act between the newly married husband and wife. It carries the intention of starting a family quickly.

After this, the bride will remove the groom’s wedding shoes and socks to show her respect for and commitment to him.

Zhongmin island [崇明岛]– brides who wear tiger head wedding shoes

On Zhongmin island [崇明岛] it is customary for brides to wear wedding shoes decorated with tiger heads [虎头鞋].

Tiger head shoes are traditionally worn by infant to protect them from evil influences. Zhongmin brides hope that the tiger, king of beasts will provide them some leverage for their positions in their husbands’ family.

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