Weddings yes, but not bells. You see churches are very few and far between here in China, but with such a massive population weddings are relatively frequent. In fact there seems to be one going on everyday and several on the weekends, morning, noon and night. I haven’t actually been to a Chinese wedding but I’ve heard a lot of them. From what I can gather weddings consist of a large gathering of friends usually at a hotel for a massive feast much like our Western receptions. So what’s so special about them you may be thinking? Well it’s the setting off of fireworks upon arrival of the bride and groom. Rain or sunshine, massive amounts of fireworks are set off with little regard to passers-by or safety concerns.
Just yesterday I was crossing an intersection on my scooter when behind me started one of these firework displays at rush hour on a weekday. It was so loud and unexpected that I almost lost my balance. After crossing I grabbed my cellphone to get a video of this spectacle and to share with you the cacophony of the fireworks and all the electric bike alarms that are set off as a result.
NB: Turn your volume right up for the full effect.
Fun if you like fireworks, but strikes me as a bit of a waste in broad daylight.
Damn – I thought it was going to be your wedding bells!!
Far from it Paul, but now I know the title fits the bill of “attention grabbing.”
hahahahaha, the fireworks in broad daylight, not to mention the car alarms…a cacophony (sp?!) of Chinese sounds to send off the newly weds!! You reckon we could get those okes for our wedding next year in July…we could park a few cars on the lawn!!
Nice post bud! Hope you well…!
Pretty sure I can’t bring fireworks on the plane but if you park the cars we could definitely set off the alarms…
funniest thing about it is the way all the car alarms are going crazy! That’d drive me nuts… sounds like Jozi on a Saturday night.
Attention grabbing headline indeed! I too thought for a second that this could possibly be the most impersonal engagement announcement ever…
After reading the post and watching the video, I am once again left speechless as to the veritable chasm that exists between our culture and that of the Chinese. That whole spiel made absolutely no sense to me and the resulting chaos is not at all how I would choose to start my married life! At the very least, it makes for an interesting blog post I guess.
@Hallett, you try incorporating that into your ceremony and I might have to start finding an excuse not to attend.
P.S. Over 6000 hits there on the old Alexander bloggeroo… nice work, boychie!!
There are incidents everyday that leave me wondering how two cultures can be so different.
P.S. thank you for being a loyal reader, I’m sure you account for a couple hundred of those 6000 hits!
Hi Rory -
Also thought it was your wedding bells – hope all is well – have a great xmas. Les
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This is crazy! I will make sure to watch out for unexpected explosions while in China. In Costa Rica, I noticed fireworks everwhere during Holy Week. When I first arrived, I nearly ran for cover thinking it was gun fire! Silly me did not understand that Ticos are firework crazy!