The Wedding Banquets

喜酒

Generally, separate wedding feasts were given by the parents of the bride and the groom¹ for their respective friends and famities.

一般来说，由新郎父母或新娘父母举办的喜酒会单独分离出来答谢他们的亲朋好友。

Even at the feast, men and women sat separately.

甚至酒宴上，男女是分开坐的。

There could be a single feast for each or a series of feasts over several days.

每家有一席酒宴或者几天都有流水席。

However, the most important feast was that given the groom's family on the day of the wedding.

然后，最重要的那场是婚礼那天男方家庭举办的。

It was generally considered as public recognition of the union.

通常被公认为联姻。

Chinese food has special symbolism： mostly wishes of happiness, longevity², or fertility.

中国的食物有特殊的含义：大多幸福的祝福，长寿或多子多孙。

The number of courses is also significant.

菜式更是大量的。

At a Chinese wedding banquet, eight dishes are usually served - not including the dessert.

在中国的喜酒上，八道菜是必须的-不包括甜品。

In Chinese, the word “eight” sounds like "good luck. "

在中国“八”听起来像“发”。

(The words for “nine” and “long” are also homophones, words that sound the same but have different meanings.

（“九”和“久”是同音异义的。

At a birthday banquet, nine dishes are served with noodles at the end.)

生日会上，会上九道菜，最后上长寿面。）