因特网时代的傣族婚礼

"At the beginning of reform and opening up, the villagers were worried that they would be treated unfairly if foreigners came. However, the reform and opening up have aroused people's enthusiasm. Border trade between China and Vietnam has been flourishing. People can go and buy things in Vietnam and do business in ports. The trade can be very profitable and you can also make money by working in the ports."

Nevertheless, the villagers still keep the tradition of being thrifty. A wedding is their only opportunity to spend big money. Feng Hongjinag says changes in wedding ceremonies are evidence of this.

"The most frequent wedding gifts before were cloths weaved by the villagers plus washbasin and clothing, and nothing else. Now the gifts include motorcycle, fridge, solar heater and television in addition to gold earrings and silver bracelets for the bride. The jewelry we sent to the bride before was only a pair of bronze bracelets made by a local smith."

Feng Hongjiang explains that in Dai tradition, the would-be couple's parents would come together and plan for the wedding. And the groom's family has to offer a certain amount of money as a betrothal gift for the bride's dowry. Now with increased living standards, the amount of betrothal gift money is increasing and has reached 6,600 yuan, or 8,800 yuan as 6 and 8 are considered lucky numbers in China.

It's dusk and it becomes dark on the basketball court. The party becomes quieter and people are chatting about how their banana and rubber trees are growing and the harvest this year. But the hot topic is still the wedding and stories of the newly weds and how much there betrothal gifts are. Songs are heard from the bridal chamber and the two families of the bride and groom are singing folk songs.

The bride's family sings: "We traveled a long way to send our daughter here. She is longing to be a good housewife." While the groom's family answers: "You can just relax because we'll treat your daughter like ours." The bride side again: "We'll be together and make tomorrow a better day." and that from the groom: "love one another and build a new life together."

Singers fill two sides of the long dining table and sing enthusiastically. The words and tunes are improvised.

With the changing of the times, the economy of the ethnic group has developed but what have remained unchanged are their traditions such as singing at weddings. Feng Hongjiang says what has also changed is the way young people meet and get into a relationship. With a contented smile on his face, Feng talks about his love and marriage when he was young.

Feng Hongjiang and his wife are both from the Golden River village. They first met when they went to the regional capital to sell corn. He says they fell in love during the time when young people expressed their passion with love letters.

"It was a kind of free love. I wrote a lot of letters to my wife, then my girlfriend. I still remember one sentence I wrote which said 'I am a grass and you are a morning dew that moist me.'"

Looking at the new couple who are busy proposing toasts to each guest, Feng says he is envious. The couple met on the internet when they were out working in different cities.

The new couple have decided to settle down in the village after they marry and make a living on the soil. Feng says there are now only a few people still going out and working in cities. Even those who worked in Shanghai and Beijing have come back. Thanks to the good price of banana and rubber, one can become quite well-off staying in the village and fruit farming.

It is already late at night and the elderly of the two families are still singing. Not far from the bridal chamber are rubber trees with their leaves dancing in the wind.