Xiniang (Chaperon at the Wedding Ceremony)

The bustling and joyful wedding ceremony would be impossible without the supporting of people from various trades, of which the most important figure is the "xiniang" (chaperon).

Chaperoning is a special trade that has been handed down from generations. The chaperon usually has charming appearance and is smooth and slick in response. She would first dress up the bride: removing the fine hair on the bride’s face with yarn as well as making up her face. When the bride went into the bridal sedan chair, the chaperon would "kujiao" (literally, crying on the sedan chair; it is an old wedding custom during which the bride would express her unwillingness to leave her family in the form of singing while crying.) for her, crying melodiously and rhythmically like singing. As they reached the groom's house, the chaperon would lead the bride out of the sedan chair. The bride would be conducted by the chaperon to do all the rituals required during a wedding ceremony like performing formal bows and others. After the bride and groom went into the bridal chamber, the chaperon would hand out a section of old sugar cane or a steelyard to the groom. While the groom is unveiling the red veil on the head of the bride with the two objects, the chaperon would say auspicious wishes like "the older the sweeter" or "have everything as you wish". Whenever the bride ate some food, the chaperon would say something auspicious about it, and there should not be repetition. And then came the procedure of "nao xinfang" (literally, making trouble at the bridal chamber; it actually refers to teasing the bride in the bridal chamber). To protect the bride, the chaperon needed to artfully deal with the teases from the "trouble makers" on the one hand, and drink for the bride while avoiding getting drunk on the other hand. It was until all the guests left that the chaperon could congratulate the newly-wed couple and closed the door for them – the final completion of her task!