摘 要：我国的婚姻文化是中国传统文化的一部分。相比之下，英国的婚姻文化体现了鲜明的西方色彩。本文通过对比两国的婚俗，介绍了中英婚姻文化的发展历程，详细阐述了两国婚姻文化的差异及其原因，并探讨了两种婚姻文化的冲突与调和。本文旨在反映两国的婚姻文化差异，促进文化交流，引导读者合理地看待东西方的文化差异。

关键词：中英；婚姻文化；差异; 原因

Abstract：Our marriage culture is one part of Chinese traditional culture. Accordingly, by comparing different marriage culture, this paper introduces the developing process of marriage culture in China and Britain. It elaborates the differences of marriage culture   between these two countries and analysis its causes. Finally it discusses the topic of conflicts and reconciliation between these two countries’ marriage culture. This paper is mainly to reflect the differences of marriage culture between China and Britain, promote culture exchanges and lead readers to take a rational attitude toward marriage culture differences between China and Britain.

Key words: China and Britain; marriage culture; difference; cause

Contents

摘 要 .i

Abstract ii

I. Introduction 1

II. Chinese and British Marriage Cultures 1

 2.1 Marriage Culture in Ancient China 1

 2.2 Marriage Culture in Modern China 4

 2.3 Marriage Culture in Britain. 6

III. On Differences 8

 3.1 Different Origins of Marriage Culture 8

 3.2 Different Expectations 8

 3.3 Different Faiths in Gods Relating to Marriage. 8

 3.4 Different Aesthetic Tastes of Wedding Color 9

IV. Causes of Differences 9

 4.1 Different Historical Backgrounds of Marriage Culture Origins 9

 4.2 Different Religious Thoughts and Concepts 10

V. The Conflicts and Reconciliation Between Chinese and Western Cultures 10

 5.1 The Manifestation of Conflicts 10

 5.2 The Reconciliation 11

VI. Conclusion 12

Bibliography 13

Acknowledgements 14

Differences in Chinese and British Marriage Culture

I. Introduction

The study of marriage culture has long been with us and the focus of the study is the differences of marriage culture. It is the most significant and indispensable part of the study. For more than one hundred years, the study is carried on mainly from the perspective of wedding forms, religious thoughts and concepts, influences from economic conditions to marriage and so on. Marriage culture is formed in a long historical evolution of marriage custom in a country. No matter in China or in other foreign countries, and marriage is important to everyone. Marx and Engels hold that people lived together and they didn’t have any ideas about marriage in ancient times. So that is group marriage. Majorities of marriage culture researchers around the world have now adopted this view. Marriage culture contains not only marriage but also values of marriage. The constraints of marriage customs are not dependent on the law, not either rely on science testing, but on the force of habits, traditional culture and national psychology. In the process of the development of human history, marriage and family system have experienced different development process. It includes the group marriage, marriage and monogamy. As a union of a man and a woman and a family formation stage, marriage includes not only marriage, but also the preparation phase for the marriage and the performance stage after the festivities. It runs through the whole process of life. These customs, as a national symbol and cultural development, plays a very important role in ethnic studies and the history of mankind. This article is mainly about the differences between Britain and Chinese marriage culture, and marriage culture is the concentrated reflection of national traditional culture, comparing different marriage between China and Britain can help us to cultivate cross-cultural communication and promote the blend of Chinese and Western culture.