The Frightening Taiwanese Mystery Wedding: The Ghost Bride Custom
In Taiwan, whether it's during the New Year or a wedding, there's a custom of giving red envelopes, as red symbolizes happiness and good fortune in Taiwanese culture. By giving red envelopes filled wi
In Taiwan, whether it's during the New Year or a wedding, there's a custom of giving red envelopes, as red symbolizes happiness and good fortune in Taiwanese culture. By giving red envelopes filled with money, it's like saying, “I wish you continuous good luck and keep misfortune at bay!” Thus, receiving red envelopes is usually met with great joy and happiness.
However, there is a type of red envelope that instills fear in Taiwanese people – those found on the streets. One must never casually pick up these red envelopes, as you might end up bringing home a ghost bride!
The Ghost Marriage(冥婚): A Mysterious Wedding
Taiwan has a special wedding ceremony called the Ghost Marriage(冥婚), mainly conducted for unmarried women who passed away. Parents, worried that their deceased daughter would have no one to worship her, seek a husband for her. However, not all unmarried deceased women undergo such a wedding; it only happens if the parents dream of their deceased daughter asking to be married.
To find a groom for the ghost bride, her parents place a red envelope with money on the street and wait for someone to pick it up. Once the envelope is picked up, the parents, hiding nearby, appear and request the person who picked up the envelope to marry their daughter. It is believed that those who pick up the envelope are usually the chosen grooms by the ghost bride.
In Taiwan, if someone accidentally picks up a Ghost Marriage(冥婚) red envelope, most people agree to marry the ghost bride. It's said that rejecting a ghost bride can bring lifelong misfortune, as she will continually haunt the person. However, accepting her can bring success in business, increase in wealth, and harmony and peace in the family, as the ghost bride will protect the household.
Even after marrying a ghost bride, single men can still marry someone they truly love in the future, but they must obtain the ghost bride's consent. Moreover, at least one of their children must be named after the ghost bride's surname, symbolizing that the child belongs to her.
If you, already married, pick up a Ghost Marriage(冥婚) red envelope and the ghost bride is particularly fond of you, she might still demand to marry you.
Though the tradition of Ghost Marriage(冥婚) in Taiwan sounds terrifying, many have found success in their careers and happiness in their families after marrying a ghost bride. However, actual cases of marrying a ghost bride are now rare in Taiwan. This might be due to the wariness Taiwanese people have towards red envelopes found on the streets, avoiding picking them up carelessly.
But if you do accidentally pick up a Ghost Marriage(冥婚) red envelope, it's advised to seek help from the gods at a temple to see if they can help you refuse the ghost bride's proposal.
An Intriguing Ghost Bride Story
Additionally, I'd like to share an intriguing ghost bride story I recently heard on a popular Taiwanese podcast. A listener decided to share it because of the humorous and peculiar nature of his friend's experience with a Ghost Marriage(冥婚).
The story goes like this: He heard that his friend had inexplicably undergone a Ghost Marriage(冥婚) and wanted to check on him. To his surprise, the friend revealed that he had already been divorced by the ghost bride.
The reason? The ghost bride found his friend dirty and smelly as he disliked bathing; he always prepared food she didn't like for her worship, displeasing her; and she hated Buddhist scriptures, which he played all day. Unable to tolerate it anymore, she communicated through dreams to her parents that she wanted a divorce, leading to the friend being abandoned by the ghost bride.
This story is surprising and amusing, as we've never heard of divorces in Ghost Marriage(冥婚). While the authenticity of this story is questionable, if you pick up a red envelope and plan to follow suit, be cautious. If the ghost bride discovers your intentions, the consequences could be severe.
Thus, the best way to avoid unintentionally marrying a Taiwanese ghost bride is not to randomly pick up red envelopes found on Taiwanese streets.
An interesting Taiwanese ghost marriage movie, 'Marry my dead
body', can be found on Nexfile.
