What are the rules and regulations for marrying a daughter in Inner Mongolia?

The Mongolian people have two marriage systems: marriage by robbery and betrothal. Marriage robbery is a form of marriage in slave society. Before the 13th century AD, most Mongolian society was based on a system of robbery. After the 13th century AD, the Mongolian people entered feudal society, and the betrothal marriage system was widely implemented. Marriage proposal means that before young men and women get engaged, the man must propose marriage to the woman. If the woman's family agrees, the engagement can be made. Betrothal gift, a gift given by the man's family to the woman after the young man and woman get engaged, is also called the betrothal gift. The amount of the betrothal gift depends on the financial status of the groom's family. In pastoral areas, cattle, horses, sheep and other livestock are often used as betrothal gifts. Dowry is a wedding gift given by a woman to her daughter. The Mongolian people are very particular about dowry. The woman must give a corresponding amount of dowry according to the betrothal gift given by the man. During the wedding, the groom wears a gorgeous Mongolian robe, a colorful ribbon around his waist, a round-top red tassel hat, high leather boots, and a bow and arrow in a joyful atmosphere. After arriving at the bride's house, the groom and the best man hold khatas and fine wine in their hands, toast the bride's parents and eldest relatives one by one, and kneel down to worship. After the ceremony, the newlyweds sit down for a meal. In the early morning of the next day, when the bridegroom sets off, the bride is carried on the float by her father or uncle. The groom has to ride a horse around the bride's float three times. Then, the bridegroom and the sender set off together. Fire worship is an important ritual in Mongolian weddings. Although the forms of fire worship vary among Mongolians from various regions, they are an indispensable part of weddings. The bride and groom both passed between the two piles of fire. Accepting the baptism of fire makes their love more pure and unswerving, leading them to a happy life and growing old together. Although the forms vary from region to region, they are all very grand and lively.

The general wedding custom in pastoral areas is: after getting married and returning to the groom’s house, the groom and the bride do not dismount or dismount, but first circle the yurt three times clockwise, and then the groom and the bride both walk through two piles of strong fires to accept the god of fire. The cleansing of dust represents the purity of love and the prosperity of new life. After the bride and groom enter the yurt, they first worship Buddha and worship the stove, and then meet their parents, relatives and friends. After the ceremony, the groom will comb the bride's hair. After freshening up and changing clothes, wait for the wedding banquet to begin. Wedding banquets usually feature sheep's backs or whole sheep mats, and all kinds of dairy products and candies are available. At the wedding banquet, the groom carries a silver pot and the bride holds a silver bowl, offering khatas and toasting wine to the elders, relatives and friends one by one. The young men held their silver cups high and drank happily; the girls sang loudly along with the morinouqin. The wedding banquet often lasts for two or three days, and relatives and friends leave one after another. The bride's bride-to-be will also have to leave someone to stay with the bride for one to three days. sometimes. The bride's mother is also seeing off her bride and will stay there for more than ten days. Usually on the third day after the wedding, people from the bride’s family will come to visit the bride and meet relatives of the groom’s family. Most of the visitors are aunts, sisters-in-law, etc. Each of them brings gifts or food to the groom's house to hold a recognition ceremony. A banquet was held at the groom's house. The men and women get to know each other, greet each other and toast each other, which is a scene full of enthusiasm. The form of marriage in which a man was married to several women at the same time is now obsolete. In the Mongolian slave society and feudal society, slave owners or feudal princes and nobles often took concubines as a custom. The form of marriage in which a man and a woman form a couple has been a traditional marriage custom among the Mongolian people. The marriage-robbing or arranged marriages left over from the old society have gradually been eliminated, and the new marriage custom of free love and voluntary union between men and women has become a common practice.