Xinjiang Marriage Customs

Author: Lou Wanghao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: Introduction to the Mongolian People
"Mongol" is the self-name of the Mongolian ethnic group. The Xinjiang Mongols are a branch of the Mongolian people, descendants of the Oirat Mongols. They primarily live in the Bayinbuluke and Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefectures, as well as in counties within Ili and Tacheng. In 2002, the population of the Mongols in Xinjiang was over 159,100. Their language belongs to the Mongolic branch of the Altaic language family, specifically the Oirat dialect. Historically, they used the T?te Mongolian script, but the currently promoted script is the Khüree Mongolian script, which is used alongside the T?te script. In the early 13th century, Mongols followed Genghis Khan westward and settled north of the Tianshan Mountains. During the Ming Dynasty, the Mongols were divided into two major groups: the Eastern Mongols (Tartars) and the Northern Mongols (Wara). In the mid-16th century, the Northern Mongols split into the Torghut, Durbet, Khoshut, and Jungar tribes. During the Qing Dynasty, they were collectively referred to as the Oirats or the Oirat Mongols and grazed in the northern Xinjiang region east and south of Lake Balkhash. In the mid-18th century, the Qing government intervened in Ili to suppress the rebellion of the Jungar aristocracy and organized the local Oirats into Oirat camps according to the Manchu Banner system, after which they were referred to as the "Oirat Mongols." In 1771, over 180,000 members of the Torghut tribe, who had migrated west to the lower Volga River, returned to China under the leadership of Abasha, and the Mongols living in Bayinbuluke, Hoboksar, Jinghe, Wusu, and other prefectures are their main descendants. In 1764 and 1813, the Qing Dynasty relocated some Chahar Mongols from areas north of Zhangjiakou, whose descendants now primarily live in Bole and Weixian County in the Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture.
The Mongols initially practiced Shamanism, but after the 16th century, they gradually converted to the Gelugpa branch of Tibetan Buddhism. However, Shamanism still leaves a deep imprint on their traditional customs. Funerals are conducted through sky burial, earth burial, and cremation. The Mongols in Xinjiang primarily engage in animal husbandry, though some now practice agriculture. The Epic of Jangar is a long narrative poem of the Oirat Mongols and is one of the three great epics of the Chinese nation, widely circulated among the people. Their musical instruments include the Tobshuur and the Morin Khuur, and Xinjiang also has a two-stringed plucked instrument called the Chuur. Traditional clothing is the Mongolian robe. Their diet is mainly based on wheat products, beef, lamb, and dairy products, and they enjoy making dairy wine from cow and goat milk. In pastoral areas, the Mongols primarily live in yurts. The most important festival is the Spring Festival. They hold the Naadam fair annually. Naadam is a Mongolian term meaning "entertainment games" and originated from the worship of the Obo (sacred pile).
The Mongols now follow a monogamous marriage system, similar to other ethnic groups, but historically, some nobles and wealthy individuals practiced polygamy. In the past, the Mongols had various marriage forms, including abductions, inheritance marriages, bridegroom marriages, betrothal marriages, arranged marriages, and love marriages. Today, young men and women often marry for love, but they must still go through the formal betrothal process to form a family. Mongol marriages follow a series of rituals, including proposing, setting the date, sending betrothal gifts, building a new home, holding a gurvan nuur (bride's banquet), the wedding ceremony, uncovering the wedding canopy, and the horooj (return visit after the wedding).
The Mongols in Xinjiang practice exogamy, meaning they do not marry within their own clans and are forbidden to marry outside their ethnic group, especially not allowing girls to marry non-Mongols. However, there are now isolated cases of Mongols marrying non-Mongols. Historically, Mongols emphasized matchmaking and believed that people of different social classes (wealthy and poor, masters and servants) should not marry. However, feudal elites could marry beautiful girls from poor families. There were also many inequalities in Mongol marriages. Poor women generally could not divorce or remarry after marriage, while wealthy women could. If a husband wished to divorce, he had to compensate the wife, but if the wife sought a divorce, she received no compensation and could not take any property, with children usually remaining with the husband.