上头 (Hair Combing)

​

Hair combing ceremony is conducted on the eve of the wedding after 11p.m. In the Chinese calendar, any time after 11pm denotes the next day. The bride must take part in this ceremony at least 1hr after the groom has completed his. If either party has been married before, this ceremony can be skipped.

 

It is a must that the bride and groom have their Hair Combing separately at their parent’s home in the bedroom. The bride & groom’s hair are combed by their parents. If either parent is not around, a blessed woman will do the combing.  

 

Have the items ready before proceeding with the Hair Combing process. Fruit & Meat items to pray to the ancestors. Lotus seeds, red dates, tang yuan must be either 6 pieces or 9 pieces each to be placed on the table. 

 

After showering with water infused with pomolo or pomegranate leaves, the bride and groom will change into a new set of pyjamas and bedroom slipper. The bride and groom will then pray to the heavens and their ancestors before the ceremony begins. Do take note that the bride is required to face out of the house while the groom faces in during the Hair Combing process. Their respective parents will then comb their hair 4 times while reciting this ancient litany.

​

 

The following auspicious words will have to be recited out loud: 

The four blessings are:

·       一梳、梳到尾、(First comb, blessed to be together to the end)

·       二梳、百年好合 (Second comb, blessings for a hundred years of harmony in your marriage)

·       三梳、子孫滿堂 (Third comb, be blessed with a houseful of children and grandchildren)

·       四梳、白發齊眉 (Fourth comb, be blessed with longevity)

​

The red thread means yue lao qian hong xian, is to be tie on the hair completing the ceremony.

 

Attending female family members may also bless them aloud as they sit in front of an open window with the visible moon or in front of the mirror.

​

A sweet dessert soup containing pink glutinous-rice spherical dumplings called 湯圓 is served after the hair combing ceremony to wish the couple a complete and sweet marriage.

 

Cantonese/Hakka
(During ceremony) The groom has to face the wall with his back against the door while the bride does the opposite that is facing the door with her back against the wall.

TeoChew/Hokkien
The bedroom's door must be locked and no one should enter the room during the ceremony.

The groom is to perform this in his room facing inside, while the bride facing the ancestors.

 

 

 

For male:
Pointed comb
1 set of mirror
1 set of red string
1 ruler 
1 pair Dragon and phoenix candles 
Lian zi, red dates, tang yuan in either 6 or 9pcs 
 

 

For female:
Round comb
1 set of mirror
1 set of red string
1 set of sewing kit
1 ruler 
1 pair Dragon and phoenix candles 
Lian zi, red dates, tang yuan in either 6 or 9pcs 
 

 

​

$12.90 per set (Bride / Groom)

​