There were 2 reasons for my recent visit to China (in March), one was to visit Yuye’s sick grandpa in Beijing and the other was to attend my cousin’s wedding in Shanghai. My cousin and I are very close. When my parents came to Australia back in the 1980s, I was barely able to remember their faces. My aunt (who’s my cousin’s mother) took me in for a few years, fed me, educated me and cared for me, under the same roof as my cousin. She treated me like her own child and never favoured anyone which I was very grateful for.
It was a bit sad when I went to Australia, because being adolescents, the next time we met a few years later, we were like strangers, shy and didn’t know what to say to each other. I’m so glad we broke the silence and became like brother and sister again. I prayed for his happiness more than anyone else as he’s a very honest and down to earth sort of guy so he deserved to be with a good girl. I’m glad he found a good wife, they’re like a match made in heaven. The warmth I feel when I see them together is indescribable.
My cousin’s wife is from a town on the outskirts of Shanghai called Chong Ming (崇明) which is an island consisting mostly of farmland. People from the countryside tend to have strong customs, especially when it comes to weddings. They had 2 weddings in total, the first one was at her home town which lasted for almost 3 days and the second was in Shanghai. Can you imagine 3 days of nonstop eating and drinking? They are very heavy alcohol drinkers there. I felt so sorry for my cousin because it’s a custom to get the groom drunk and I can say he didn’t last very long.
I had never been to a country wedding before. It was everything I had imagined. A lot of homemade, hearty food, lots of alcohol, LOTS of people and of course, plenty of nature. We were always greeted with loud firecrackers and there were even colourful flags at the entrance to signal to everyone in town the good news.
We all stayed at the wife’s parents’ house which was newly refurbished and decorated for the occasion and this is where all the meals were held too.
I can tell you…it was freezing. Even though it was mid March already, with no insulation, the place became very cold, very quickly. There are no buildings to shelter the house from the wind, in fact, they even ate meals with the front doors fully open. The only reason they would have done it was to ventilate the rooms from the heavy cigarette smoke during the meals. You should have seen the thick fog like layer of smoke that hovered above my head.
It’s so interesting to hear about how country weddings are prepared. Everyone knows each other in the town so whenever anyone has a wedding, they all go to help out. Each family would own the same set of long wooden chairs and big wooden table so they are all gather at the house holding the wedding while over a hundred guests are invited for each meal. As the wedding lasted for 3 days, a bit of quick maths will reveal just how many people they had to cater for – this is for both lunch and dinner.
There was a temporary kitchen in the garage and for those few days, the garage was full of food and ingredients.
All the cold dishes were pre-prepared at the start of each day which was smart. The photo below only showed 1 meal’s worth of food and only consisted of HALF of the cold dishes! Imagine that…
They actually hired a professional chef from the area to do all the cooking, without him, the meals would not have gone so smoothly. I didn’t want to see how they prepared the dishes though as hygiene wasn’t an issue to him it seemed. I saw him pick up food that had dropped on the ground and just thrown right back into the oil. I also didn’t want to know how much MSG went into those dishes I ate those few days. The biggest bowl on the condiments table had MSG in it. Go figure.
The real kitchen in the house was quite fascinating. I didn’t know they still used such methods to cook. As there was no gas, the stove was powered solely on fire. Hay is put in the hole at the back of the stove which gets lit and someone has to constantly poke at it and fan air so it doesn’t go out. I’m assuming it’s difficult to control the size of the flames so cooking times are difficult to control as well.
As expected they had their own livestock. My cousin’s wife informed me that they used to keep geese which have all been eaten now and there used to be over 20 chickens while there are only about 7-8 left. All sacrifices for the wedding I suppose.
A huge goat leg was hanging in the chicken pen which later became our dinner and was apparently from a neighbour’s goat sacrifice. They don’t have any lambs there for some reason, just goats.
In the courtyard was a patch of vegetables which I couldn’t identify. Every household would have their own veggie patch in Chong Ming which of course is no surprise as there’s an abundance of land.
My cousin’s wife’s family owns a huge piece of land behind their house which used to harvest cotton, so all of their blankets were made using home grown cotton which were the fluffiest most comfortable blankets I’ve ever slept in. Now they’ve rented the land to the government to grow crops.
The nearest town centre on foot is so small it literally only had 1 convenience store and a closed down barber shop. As we strolled along the streets admiring the freshness of the air and crops by the side of the road, we realised just how deserted this place was. Many people have sent their children to bigger towns nearby if not straight into Shanghai city like my cousin’s wife, so these small villages are becoming less and less populated. The only people remaining are old farmers who have no where else to go.
There were all sorts of vegetables and fruits growing around the streets. People are very good at utilising land, even those that do not belong to them. Crops were grown on government land all the way down the riverbank and side of the streets. I guess if no one cares, it doesn’t hurt right?
We saw daikons that were near ready to be plucked and already plucked sweet potatoes that were seemingly abandoned. Why would you abandon these beautiful looking sweet potatoes? I wanted to pick them up but my aunt stopped me. I don’t like wasting food.
There were dead cotton plants everywhere as well as the harvest season must already be over. They were very beautiful, even though the fluffy white cotton is no longer present.
All the fruit we consumed during those few days were homegrown harvests from local farms. I loved the colours and the sweetness of the fruits and was comforted by the fact that these were actually fresh and most likely not full of weird things that Chinese people sometimes put in their food.
It’s also a wonder how all country women seem to know how to make delicious traditional foods such as tang yuan (汤圆), which are gluttonous rice balls and wontons.
The wontons were so delicious, I couldn’t eat enough of them even though they were present at all 4 meals we had.
Here’s a few of the dishes we had during one meal – I didn’t take photos of all the dishes as they were piled up very quickly.
Quail & wintermelon soup
Sweet potato filled rice pastries
Deep fried crabs
Stewed goat leg
Glutinous rice balls
Braised prawns from a local producer
Braised pig hock
Deep fried quails
Every single meal was a big one and I always walked away totally bloated. Many of the dishes were the same though across meals to minimise the amount of cooking involved. Like I said, the dishes really piled up…in fact, no dishes were taken away during the meal, until the very end.
With no hot water in the courtyard, helpers had to wash all the dishes in the dark in freezing water. I could see frostbites on the women’s hands the next day and I just felt so bad. I wish I could have bought them a dishwasher. 
After such big dinners you’d think we would skip breakfast, but we didn’t. Instead, were had these:
I’m not sure how they expected us to eat 2 whole boiled eggs and a bowl of fermented rice soup. In fact, my aunts couldn’t finish it so I ended up eating 3.5 eggs for one breakfast! Have you tried Chinese fermented rice before? It’s a little alcoholic and people love to eat this with some glutinous rice balls. Dad actually makes it at home so I might put up a recipe some time! 
I had so much fun at the wedding I was sad to leave. Chong Ming holds as special place in my heart and my family’s, because my parents actually met each other on a farm there during the cultural revolution. They were sent there to work when they were 15-16 and stayed there for quite a few years before returning to Shanghai. The farm is apparently abandoned now which is a shame but next time I’ll visit the farm with my parents while listening to their interesting stories.
Chong Ming can be reached via car or boat from Shanghai and takes roughly 2 hours transport time. Chong Ming is a beautiful city with good local produce and a lot of nature. If you wish to go, there are local hotels or farmhouse homestay available where you can stay with a local host and they will cook for you as well. This type of accommodation is called Nong Jia Le (农家乐) in China and is a popular way to enjoy true local cuisine and mingle with the country folks.
Question time: Have you ever been to a wedding that is different to others? Did you enjoy it?
52 comments… add one
Choc Chip Uru June 4, 2012, 5:16 pm
What a beautiful wedding atmosphere my friend
How exciting!
I was also touched to read about how close your cousin and you were
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 4, 2012, 11:06 pm
Thanks CCU! It was a very nice atmosphere, everyone was so warm and welcoming, they actually fed everyone the glutinous rice balls from one bowl. I think it was a custom but it was so interesting and touching.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella June 4, 2012, 5:23 pm
What a fascinating wedding! Thank you for showing this to us. I haven’t been to a Chinese wedding, let alone a country Chinese wedding and it was really fascinating!
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 4, 2012, 11:08 pm
Thanks Lorraine! It was quite fascinating to me as well!
Blackswan June 4, 2012, 7:10 pm
What a fabulous festive occasion! I can almost feel it as I’m reading your post
Thks so much for leaving your lovely comments @ Shirley’s Luxury Haven! I’m following u on FB, Pinterest, everywhere & love to have u follow me too. Hahaha! See u there
Oh, there’s a Giveaway coming up, so be sure to check back 
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 4, 2012, 11:11 pm
Thanks for visiting my blog too! It really was festive, there was firecrackers every half hour or so during the meal, some were signalling a certain dish was coming up, it was so fascinating.
Ali June 4, 2012, 7:30 pm
Wow, so different to an Australian wedding, amazing! All of that food looked great :_
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 4, 2012, 11:14 pm
It was definitely very different! His wedding in Shanghai city was a bit closer to a western wedding, but the country one was so different..
love2dine June 4, 2012, 8:20 pm
fantastic wedding, i love every photos .. thanks a lot for sharing. so many varieties of food.. i love to be there and try.
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 4, 2012, 11:20 pm
Thanks!! There was so much food that I couldn’t even try every single dish!
Belinda @zomppa June 4, 2012, 8:57 pm
What an incredible wedding! So happy to hear how close you are to each other. What a lovely description of this amazing “country” wedding – love the idea of the whole community together. I can’t get over this feast! More than you could ever expect at 5-star hotels!
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 4, 2012, 11:22 pm
It was truly incredible..I’m pretty sure I’m never going to see such a wedding again though which is a shame but it’s a memory I won’t forget.
Nandita June 5, 2012, 12:18 am
Thanks so much for visiting my blog jenny!!! Your have a wonderful blog as well. This post about the wedding is just incredible. Loved all the photographs. Especially the where you are with the bride. All in all, a splendid post
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 6, 2012, 9:59 pm
Thanks for visiting my blog too, and thanks for your lovely comment.
Sissi June 5, 2012, 12:18 am
What a fascinating post! I wish I could be invited to such an exquisite wedding. The dishes look fabulous and if there is something I hate during the weddings it’s being hungry so I would definitely appreciate the abundance, although I’m not sure about 3 days’ eating and drinking
Thank you for sharing with us such an exceptional experience.
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 6, 2012, 10:02 pm
It was definitely exquisite, although the dishes were quite homey
I definitely wasn’t hungry when I finished though, but 3 days was a bit too much for me 
Soni June 5, 2012, 1:05 am
Wow,such a fascinating spread of food for the wedding!I’ve never seen a chinese wedding but thanks for explaining the customs and traditions, not to mention the delicious food thats part of it.The three day celebration is very common in our indian weddings too
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:32 pm
Thanks for your lovely comment! I don’t really know too much about the customs myself, it’s just what I saw when I went there…I’m sure there’s a lot more to what I’ve written here!
I would love to go to an Indian wedding, I have heard such great stories from my friends!
Catalina @ Cake with Love June 5, 2012, 1:05 am
Wow that is a lot of great food!! Looks like the wedding was very unique and beautiful!
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:33 pm
It was a lot of food indeed..that’s only half of it from one meal
Jenn and Seth (@HomeSkilletCook) June 5, 2012, 1:08 am
great post! and such gorgeous photos!
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:33 pm
Thanks for your lovely comment!
Shannon | JustAsDelish June 5, 2012, 1:24 am
I was in Shanghai in Feb (super cold), and it is surprising to know just 2 hours from Shanghai is a quaint small town. I visited my grandparent’s family in Longyan, Fujian years ago, and was still shocked by some of their cultures. I was fed 20 dishes for dinner, and I can’t imagine what a wedding will be like!
Thanks for dropping by my blog and leaving your comment.
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:34 pm
I always go to Shanghai in winter, it’s terribly cold when there’s no airconditioning.
There are actually many small towns worth visiting around Shanghai. 
20 dishes for dinner sounds like a LOT of food! I’m sure it was all very delicious though, love Chinese home cooking. 
Tina (PinayInTexas) June 5, 2012, 2:58 am
Beautiful pictures…and everything looks delicious! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful event!
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:35 pm
Thanks Tina for your lovely comment!
Evelyne@cheapethniceatz June 5, 2012, 4:36 am
Thank you, this was a truly wonderful post to read. Very foreign and nothing like the life I know nor the wedding customs. Nice to see everyone coming together to help but that chef hygiene scares me lol. Well the dishes look amazing. So much food!
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:36 pm
Believe me it’s not something I was used to either. I felt like such a tourist when I was there! The bride’s cousins were all laughing at me whenever I pulled out my camera!
And yes, that hygiene issue is not something I can overcome easily, there was more to the story but I thought best to not go into any more detail. 
Deanna June 5, 2012, 8:26 am
What a beautiful wedding. And so much food! That is like my dream wedding. But with Cajun food instead of Chinese.
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:37 pm
Cajun banquet at a wedding sounds like a wonderful idea.
Asmita June 5, 2012, 8:59 am
What a beautiful post. I enjoyed reading and seeing the photographs.
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:45 pm
Thanks for your lovely comment Asmita!
Tania @ A Perfect Pantry June 5, 2012, 10:31 am
It looks like such a gorgeous wedding. I’ve been to Shanghai a few times, and I love it there, especially the food.
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:38 pm
Shanghai’s a wonderful place, I go back every year, although I don’t usually eat out that much. Home cooked food there is fantastic as well though.
Carolyn Jung June 5, 2012, 1:36 pm
What a wonderful wedding feast. Thanks for sharing. I always love seeing how different cultures celebrate such a momentous occasion.
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:39 pm
Thanks Carolyn! I loved sharing this occasion as well and I also love seeing other cultures and how they celebrate weddings. I’ve only ever been to western type weddings with a Chinese twist but never such a full on Chinese wedding. It was an eye opener.
Daisy@Nevertoosweet June 5, 2012, 1:54 pm
Oh wow what a wonderful wedding
Even though my dad is also from Shanghai we don’t have any family or relatives there as they all went to live in Hong Kong, so we’re more Honkies than anything hehe that’s why it’s lovely to see a traditional Chinese wedding 
So glad you and your cousins are close again and so kind of your auntie and uncles to take care of you ~
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:39 pm
I have quite a few friends who are like you actually.
I love Honkie wedding too! There’s also a lot of customs surrounding tea ceremonies and things. Very fascinating.
anna June 5, 2012, 2:45 pm
beautiful pictures! and such cool customs. and the food? looks incredible. thank you for sharing your trip.
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:41 pm
Thanks Anna! Love their customs, never thought that it would be so different even though the place was only 2 hours drive away…
Nami | Just One Cookbook June 5, 2012, 5:15 pm
Jenny, you are such a great writer. I enjoy reading from the beginning to the end. And I can sense how kind person you are from reading your sentences. It was a very interesting story, and almost felt sad you are ending this story! You capture amazing photography to go with your story and this was such a treat. Now after reading your story at midnight I’m widely awake. =D Congratulations to your cousin!
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:42 pm
Aww thanks Nami! That’s such a nice thing to say, which I don’t quite agree with myself mind you.
I really wish I could write a bit better, and take better photos too! Sorry to have kept you up though. 
Joanne June 5, 2012, 9:21 pm
This wedding sounds absolutely wonderful! WHat a great experience!
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:43 pm
It was a very good experience, I’m so glad I got to stay there overnight because the night experience is so much more fun! We got to play mahjong on an automatic table with the family.
Rosa June 6, 2012, 12:03 am
What a great post! That is such a wonedrful wedding and the food looks amazing. Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures and impressions with us!
Cheers,
Rosa
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 3:44 pm
Thanks so much Rosa! Glad you enjoyed it.
CJ at Food Stories June 7, 2012, 3:37 am
What a great story and great photos
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 7, 2012, 4:10 pm
Thanks CJ!
Miss Kimbers @ Fruit Salad and Mixed Veg June 7, 2012, 8:33 pm
Thank you for sharing this with us. I am amazed by all the effort that went into the wedding! I feel sorry for the women who had to wash dishes in the cold:( I have chill blaind on my fingers but I am sure they suffered more:(
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 8, 2012, 12:04 am
I know right? I felt so sorry for them! I really wanted to help but they told me not to as they were doing it so fast in the dark I might have just tripped and fell or something…:( Awww I hope your fingers are getting better, keep them warm!
choux choux June 10, 2012, 11:18 am
Oh man this looks amazing! I went to a three day wedding in Cambodia and it was surreal! The food was amazing, the gowns were stunning and just… the whole traditional side of things was very interesting.
I love how this wedding was such a big community thing! Everyone in town comes and celebrates and helps out. It’s fantastic.
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake June 10, 2012, 8:20 pm
Ohh so the wedding you attended was also 3 days long? Maybe it’s a traditional thing for all of Asia?
Yeah I really loved it, wish I could attend more weddings like this but probably won’t get the chance again…