Chinese Wedding Tea Ceremony
奉茶仪礼
Lotus seeds and two red dates are used in the tea for two reasons.
莲籽和两个红枣用于奉茶有两个原因。
First, the words “lotus” and “year，” “seed” and “child,” and “date” and “early，” are homophones, i. e. they have the same sound but different meanings in Chinese.
首先，“莲子”意为“年”，“籽”意为“子”，“枣”意为“早”都是同音字，同音但是不同含义。
Secondly, the ancient Chinese believed that putting these items in the tea would help the newlyweds produce children early in their marriage and every year, which would ensure many grandchildren for their parents.
第二，古时候的中国人相信把这些东西用于奉茶会祝福新婚夫妇早生贵子，保证子孙满堂。
Also，the sweetness of the special tea is a wish for sweet relations between the bride and her new family.
当然，茶的甜度体现了新娘和新家庭的亲密程度。
On the wedding day, the bride serves tea (holding the teacup with both hands) to her parents at home before the groom arrives.
结婚当天新郎未到之前，新娘在家给父母侍茶（双手握住杯沿）。
She does this out of respect and to thank her parents for raising her.
新娘侍茶是出于尊重以及答谢养育之恩。
The tea at this time does not need to have the lotus seeds or dates, and the bride does not need the assistance of a “ lucky woman. ”
这时候的茶不需要莲子或红枣，新娘也不需要喜娘的协助。
She pours and serves the tea by herself without the groom.
侍茶的倒和奉步骤都是新娘自己完成。
Traditionally, after the wedding ceremony, the newlyweds serve tea (holding the teacups with both hands)，inviting the groom's elders to drink tea by addressing them by formal title, e. g. first uncle or third aunt.
传统情况下，婚礼结束后，新婚夫妇奉茶（双手握住杯沿），用正式的头衔招呼新郎家德高望重的人喝茶，比如第一叔叔或第三阿姨。
The general rule is to have the woman on the left side and the man on the right side.
通用法则是女站左男站右。
The people being served will sit in chairs, while the bride and groom kneel.
被奉茶的人在椅子上坐好，新婚夫妇跪好。
For example, when the newlyweds serve tea to the groom's parents, the bride would kneel in front of her father-in-law, while the groom would kneels in front of his mother.
比如，当新婚夫妇给新郎父母奉茶，新娘会跪在公公面前，新郎就跪在他妈妈面前。
The newlyweds serve tea in order, starting with the groom's parents then proceeding from the oldest family members to the youngest,e.g. the groom's parents, then his paternal grandparents, then his maternal grandparents ,then his oldest uncles and aunts, and all the way to his older brother.
新婚夫妇按顺序奉茶，从新郎父母开始然后从老到幼，比如，新郎父母，然后爷爷奶奶，接着外公外婆，接着他的大伯和大娘，一直到所有比他大的兄弟。
In return，the newlyweds receive lucky red envelopes (“ lai xi，” which means “ lucky”) stuffed with money or jewelry.
作为回礼，新婚夫妇会得到红包，里面装满钱或珠宝。
The helpers，who are usually women blessed with a happy marriage or wealth and chosen by the fortune teller or bride's mother , also get lucky red envelopes stuffed with money from those being served.
伴娘（被祝福一段好婚姻，由算命师或新娘妈妈选中）也会得到装有钱和珠宝的红包以答谢她的帮助。
These envelopes are placed on the platter which holds the teacups.
这些红包放在奉茶用的茶碟上。