Chinese county vows to put an end to violent and vulgar ritual of wedding day hazing
- Ancient tradition is no longer relevant, authorities in Shen county, Shandong province say
- People who engage in such antisocial behaviour will be punished in accordance with the law
A county government in eastern China has vowed to crack down on traditional wedding hazing rituals that are notorious for their violence and vulgarity.
Practices such as tying grooms to trees or telephone poles and pouring beer and sauce on them would be banned, and violators would be punished for disturbing social order, authorities in Shen county, a division of Liaocheng in Shandong province, said on Sunday.
Other forms of revelry, such as throwing eggs at grooms or forcing them to perform embarrassing stunts will also be considered breaches of public disorder, according to a notice published on WeChat, China’s most popular messaging app.
Hunnao (wedding hazing) is widely practised across China as relatives and friends try to create a carnival atmosphere at weddings by playing jokes on the bride, groom, their parents and bridesmaids. But it has also triggered widespread criticism as many cases cross the line and end with people getting hurt.
The government notice described it as a “corrupt custom” that in the worst cases resulted in “injury or even death”.