An Chuang (安床) - Wedding

An Chuang: Ceremony and Procedures

Congratulations! If you are reading this article, you are either already engaged and in the wedding planning process, or perhaps good news is soon coming.

What is An Chuang (安床) ceremony?

An Chuang Ceremony is one of the few procedures in Chinese Wedding tradition. The ceremony involves setting and arranging the matrimonial bed prior to the actual wedding day. It usually takes place on a carefully selected auspicious date, a few days to a week before the customary wedding's actual date.

Why is there such a belief?

A little history behind this pre wedding tradition, An Chuang is originally part of the 铺房 Pu Fang procedures. These procedures involve the preparation of the nuptial room before the actual wedding night, decorations, installation of fittings (curtain, wedding bed), and praying rituals. The Pu Fang procedures are rarely practiced in today's context as they comprise several steps and procedures. Instead, the An Chuang Ceremony, in today's context, has inherited most of the Pu Fang's traditional essence.

The An Chuang Ceremony holds deep meaning for the newlyweds. 安床 When loosely translated, it refers to making your bed safe, secure, and blissful.

Preparing the wedding bed seeks to bless the couple with a blissful and harmonious marriage. In some cases, it is also a blessing for the couple to have an abundance of offspring.

Is this still practiced commonly?

The setting of the Matrimonial bed is still widely practiced as part of the Chinese wedding customs. Most wedding planners will assist the wedding couple with some Chinese wedding process. Some of the more critical Chinese wedding rituals include:

1) Betrothal gift ceremony

2) An Chuang Ceremony

3) Fetching of Bride (迎接)

4) Stepping into Groom's house (过门) and tea ceremony (敬茶)

5) Returning to the Bride's Home (回门)

For more information on some of these rituals and ceremonies, refer to our article here.

What are the procedures, and how are they being done?

The An Chuang Ceremony is a reasonably simple pre wedding tradition.

Where should it take place?

The venue is usually the soon-to-be-married couple's home.

When is the best time to do so?

The best time for the An Chuang Ceremony will very much depend on the Bazi (八字) of the couple. As part of a blissful marriage, most wedding couples will engage a Feng Shui Master to select an auspicious wedding date. This includes the auspicious timings for certain Chinese wedding essentials. The master could have a list of auspicious wedding dates and auspicious times for important rituals (Betrothal gift, An Chuang) and may also offer advice on certain processes.

What to prepare for An Chuang Ceremony

Although particular dialects may vary, these are some of the key essentials for the matrimonial bed-setting ceremony.

1) New Bed linen - Auspicious Colour

2) Mandarin Oranges - Quantity to be adviced

3) Red Packet

4) Grain set

5) Lily Bulb - Known as 百合

6) Auspicious Grains set

7) A packet of rock sugar/candy

8) Dired Longans, Dried Honey Dates, or Dried Persimmons

9) An auspicious circular plate or Tray

10) A pair of Bedside Lamp

11) Destiny Coins / Fate Coins

This list of items is readily available in Chinese wedding shops.

We will also need to "prepare" a "good fortune" female family elder (usually the groom's mother or grandmother). She needs to be in good health, have a living spouse, and be blessed with children. Stand by a bunch of children, too!

Steps and Procedures

On the day of the An Chuang ceremony, the chosen good fortune elder lady will be responsible for setting up the bed. The bed will be slightly shifted to be "tilted." The good fortune lady will then change the bed to the auspicious bridal bed linen.

Items 2 to 8, along with items brought over for the betrothal gift ceremony, would be placed on the auspicious circular plate or tray. This item would be placed on the bed.

Bedside Lamps

The bedside lamps would have to be lit foor at least 3 days.

Destiny coins, otherwise known as fate coins, should be placed in red packets at the four corners of the bed and room. If there are cupboards and drawers, you will require them to place them in them, too. Ensure that they are facing upwards.

The bed must be kept tilted slightly at an angle as per the first step. It can only be shifted back on the wedding day.

After all this is done, carefully selected children (Based on Zodiac) will be welcomed to jump and roll on the new bed. This process, known as 压床 or 翻床, is essentially to bless the couple with an abundance of children. Led by the good fortune lady, all parties involved in the ceremony will also recite auspicious wedding blessings during the ceremony. (百年好合、早生贵子、永浴爱河、白头偕老、幸福美满) This also represents everyone's wishes to the newlyweds for a happy marriage.

How can we help you through the process?

At Moon Feng Shui, we offer couples a complete auspicious date and time selection package. We understand that selecting a suitable date or time can be a huge challenge, considering multiple administrative considerations (leave application, hotel availability, and personal schedules). Let us help you in your auspicious date selection for this important event!

A wedding is a once-of-a-lifetime event. Allow us to provide the support you deserve.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional Feng Shui advice. Feng Shui practices and interpretations can vary, and their effectiveness may differ based on individual circumstances and specific locations. For personalized guidance, it is strongly recommended to consult with a qualified Feng Shui Master or professional consultant who can assess your unique situation. The author and company are not responsible for any outcomes resulting from the application of Feng Shui principles described in this article. Always use caution and discretion when implementing any Feng Shui methods.