Everyone longs to put an arrow through their beloved’s heart and some cultures make it a “point” to take that longing literally.
In the Gansu Province of Northwest China, it’s apparently customary for a bridegroom to ritualistically shoot three arrows straight into the willing body of his lady wife.
The most important feature of this practice? There are no actual arrowheads present, which makes the act purely symbolic as opposed to murderous. (Cupid’s own aim was generally far more treacherous, and fatal, than that).
Beginning in the home of the woman, the Yugur bride dons a sacred silver, jade, coral and seashell-encrusted headdress and sets off on a white horse toward her future spouse. To the Yugur, the white horse is supposed to symbolize a heavenly white elephant that appears in the annals of Yugur legend.
Meanwhile, the bride’s relatives make their way to the groom’s home, where they attempt to “trample and destroy” the bridal chamber set up by the groom’s family.
Thus a “battle” takes place between the bride and groom’s families, wherein the groom’s relatives are supposed to protect the integrity of the chamber. The scene is more symbolic than it is substantive, as this custom is meant to convey the groom’s capacity to protect his wife.
Once the battle is complete, the seasoned couple may now exchange vows before their now peaceful families.
To signify the soon-to-be couple’s undying love and fidelity, the Yugur bridegroom will shoot three supposedly auspicious arrows (sans arrowheads, of course) during the ceremony. Thus the deal has been sealed and it is now time to engage in matrimonial debauchery.
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