Old Harry
Old Harry
[New Three Talents Premiere] There is this plot in an American Hollywood movie "Bride Wars" in 2009:
Two best friends, Liv and Emma, who have been like sisters since childhood, are planning to hold a dream wedding of the century at the Plaza Hotel in New York, and agree to be each other's bridesmaids ( bridal maid). Everything went so perfectly.
Unfortunately, they both decided to get married in June, and on the same day, which meant that one of them had to change the date. As a result, close friends who had been friends for many years turned against each other over this, and both parties secretly competed and tried every means to sabotage the other's wedding. A wedding war ensued, until both of them suddenly realized that friendship and tolerance were the most important. The story also had a perfect ending: Emma became Liv's bridesmaid and married Liv's brother. .
A true friend is that if you are happy, I will be happy for you too.
In the film, the two of them turned against each other and fought endlessly, just to compete for the most beautiful "June Bride"!
Why do young girls in the West want to be a "June Bride" when planning their weddings? Where does this Western concept come from?
1. The Origin of Myths
The theory of the origin of myth is the most authoritative and common explanation.
As we all know, in ancient Greek mythology, the wife of Zeus, the king of gods, was Hera, the goddess with the highest status and power among the gods on Mount Olympus.
Hera is also considered the protector of human marriage and women, and is responsible for human marriage and fertility.
In Roman mythology, which corresponds to Greek mythology, Zeus became the Roman god Jupiter, and Hera became Juno. They also combine beauty and kindness, and are in charge of human marriage, fertility and maternal love. , which is especially respected by Westerners.
June in English comes from the goddess Juno, who is the patron saint of June. Because of this, young people in the West generally believe that if you get married in her month (June), you will naturally receive her blessing, which will enable the two to stick to their promise, grow old together, and live a happy and sweet married life.
In another Hollywood love musical film "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" filmed in 1954, the protagonist also sang about June Bride:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TycmYnJBqU
"Oh, they say when you marry in June, you're a bride all your life, and the bridegroom who marries in June gets a sweet-heart for a wife."
(Oh, they say that anyone who gets married in June will be a bride for life. A groom who gets married in June will get a sweetheart as his wife.)
2. Weather theory
The second explanation has to do with the weather.
As the saying goes, "The plan for a year begins with spring." Chinese people believe that April and May, when the grass grows and birds fly and everything revives, are the best seasons.
However, for most parts of Europe with higher latitudes, especially in Northern Europe, the ice and snow have just melted in May, and the weather is still cold, and it will not really start to warm up until June. Therefore, June is the best time to get married when flowers are in bloom and summer has not yet entered. June, when the temperature is the most suitable.
To some extent, this can also be reflected in Western proverbs:
"Marry in June - Good to the man and happy to the maid"
(Marriage in June - happy groom, happy bride!)
"April shower, May storm"
(April showers, May storms)
"Marry in May; you'll repent the day."
(Wedding in May, regretting the day of marriage)
three. custom says
In various European and American film and television dramas, medieval European aristocrats are always gorgeously dressed, and there is an air of elegance in their movements.
But you may not imagine that until the Victorian era in Europe in the 19th century, real-life Europeans rarely took baths, whether they were common people or princes and nobles. At that time, people who could afford a bathtub took a bath several times a month, but the poor might only take a bath once a year, and some people even took a bath two or three times in their lifetime...
It is said that Queen Isabella I of Spain, who once sponsored Columbus, proudly declared to the world that she only bathed twice in her life, once when she was born and once before her wedding.
Because of this, in order to cover up the body odor caused by not taking a shower, ladies wear strong perfume and hold fragrant flowers in their hands when going out. . . . . .
You may want to ask: Originally, the Greeks and Romans, the birthplace of ancient European civilization, often took baths. The public bathhouses in Rome were world-famous, but why did they change later?
The main reason is that a terrible plague broke out in Europe in the 14th century. It spread very quickly and had an extremely high fatality rate, so it was also called the "Black Death."
Doctors at the time generally believed that when taking a hot bath, all the pores in human skin would open, and then the vitality in the human body would leak out through the pores. The Black Death virus and other bacteria and viruses also took the opportunity to leak out of the pores. ran into the body.
So if you want to save your life, you must not take a shower. The thick layer of dirt accumulated on your body can be used to block the pores on your skin, which is equivalent to a protective film.
So at that time, people only took a bath once in May of the year, which is what Europeans call the "annual bath"!
It is for this reason that young girls like to arrange some special festivals, such as weddings, in June just after they take a bath - because they still "smell" at that time!
The above is the reason why Western brides often regard June as the auspicious "month" for entering the marriage hall, and they are willing to be a "June Bride"!
However, no matter what the reason is, the pursuit of a happy and happy marriage is the same at all times and in all countries. Whether it is the "six rituals" of ancient Chinese traditional marriages such as Naji, date request, and personal welcome, or Western brides want to be a "six rites". June Bride”, all reflect this emphasis and beautiful yearning for a happy marriage!
(Author: Old Harry)
(Editor: Jiang Qiming)
(Source of the article: First published by Xinsancai)
