Couples perform the ancient Han wedding ceremony on the Bund on September 20. [Photo/Shanghai Morning Post]

A Han-style group wedding was held on the Bund, one of Shanghai’s landmarks, on September 20, 2017. Wearing bright red Han-style finery, sixteen couples performed the ancient Han wedding ceremony.

As part of the wedding ritual, the husband and wife had to wash their hands and face before the ceremony began. Then they were asked to be seated face to face and eat from the same bowl, symbolizing that they will share in each other’s joys and sorrows in future.

Apart from local couples, other newlyweds were from Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces, who traveled to the ceremony to mark their love for one another in a time-honored Chinese way.

To conclude the ceremony, the couples participated in a car parade along the Bund, sharing their happiness with the passers-by. Afterwards, they embarked on a cruise ship and set off for a five-day honeymoon. 

As a wedding industry insider told the Shanghai Morning Post, the Han-style wedding epitomizes the traditional wedding culture in China. Moreover, it has become a growing trend among young couples who are keen to pursue fashion.