A fascinating and unique wedding ritual among China’s Bai ethnic minority involves brides wearing sunglasses on their wedding day to hide their tears as they bid farewell to their families.
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The Bai, whose name means white in Chinese, originally referred to themselves as Baipzix due to their strong preference for the colour white, which they hold in high esteem.
In 1956, they were officially recognised by the Chinese government as the Bai ethnic group.
Today, they primarily live in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan province, southwestern China, with a population of about two million as of 2020.
Bai weddings are grand and lively.
For example, before a daughter gets married, her mother feeds her using twelve pairs of chopsticks in rotation.
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The first bite the daughter takes must be spat into her left hand. Only from the second bite onwards can she begin swallowing, continuing this ritual until she is full.
