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Kwan Kua - Old tradition never dies

The Young Reporter (2005, December), 38(03), pp. 10.
Author: Julie Zhu Li. Editor: Michelle Chan Kin-ying.
Permanent URL - https://sys01.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/bujspa/purl.php?&did=bujspa0015565

Julie Zhu li

Despite its decreasing popularity, traditional wedding costumes are managing to stay in business thanks to some diehard fans of conventional rites.

In the old days, brides from southern China like Hong Kong and Taiwan would wear a black satin jacket together with a red embroidered skirt called Kwun Kua (traditional Chinese wedding dress) at their wedding ceremonies.

Both garments were decorated with auspicious flowers and birds as well as, and sometimes the dragon and phoenix, and a semblance of the “li shui” pattern of couched gold and silver thread all added up to a very ornate and glittering style.

Koon Nam Wah, a shop specializing in wedding paraphernalia, sells and rents out traditional ceremonial costumes.

Ms Lam, the manager of Koon Nam Wah, said most local couples, having their marriage registered as required by law, continue to practice their traditional customs in wedding.

“Up to now, the ‘tea offering’ ceremony in the traditional wedding is still being practiced in Hong Kong,” Ms Lam added, “unless the couples' parents don't care about custom.”

According to Ms Lam, the “tea offering” required the bride to wear Kwun Kua and kneel to the groom's parents. She thought the atmosphere would be warm and beaming when older generations in the clan wore Kwun Kua altogether.

Like many couples, Jacqueline Pang and David Lo who planned to get married next year, were looking for appropriate wedding dress.

“I think the Kwun Kua is quite conventional in style,” Ms Pang said. “I prefer western pageantry to traditional Chinese dress.” However, she had to wear Kwun Kua in her wedding later, as her future mother-in-law insisted.

Edited by Michelle Chan Kin-ying

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