This piece is one scary piece, but very interesting to read. We only hope that the bride never falls on the hot coal, because we know it won’t be funny, and will probably be the end of the marriage.
While not wholly specific to China, an interesting traditional Chinese custom says that a husband should carry his bride over a pan of burning coals before crossing the threshold of their home as husband and wife.
According to tradition, the ritual ensures that the wife will have an easy and successful labor. Fire-walking is also performed by some Chinese people as a means to prevent a natural disaster.
This ritual might seem like a taboo to others because walking on coal seems very unhelpful in “making it easier” for their pregnant wives, however, it is a very unique, and spiritual one that shows how the father takes on some of the pain that the mother has to deal with.
They believe this ritual shows the compassion and love that the father of the soon-to-be has for the newborn child, and the mother. The world would definitely be a better place for pregnant women if all the fathers-to-be actually showed the devotion and compassion for this beautiful process of life, like the Chinese.
In China, the rituals regarding pregnancies range from unique to something that should be practiced throughout the world to better the way pregnant women are treated. Once the pregnancy is confirmed, the father-to-be carries his pregnant wife over amber-colored, burning coal.
It is said that if the father successfully does this, the mother will have a smooth and less painful labor. The men do this painful ritual because the mother of the child during the pregnancy has 9 months of raging hormones, and pain, they don’t think that they should have an easy journey either.
We think this ritual is a very unique, and spiritual one. This might seem taboo to others because walking on coal seems very unreasonable to just “make it easier” for their pregnant wives, however, we think this shows how the father takes on some of the pain that the mother in order to spiritually stop her suffering.
We like the overall thought of this ritual because it shows the compassion and love that the father of the soon-to-be has for the newborn child, and the mother.
