Guan Li

History

The zh and the zh ceremony appeared in China in ancient times, prior to the Qin era. Some philosophical texts dating from the Zhou dynasty and Warring States period provide some evidence for the zh ceremony, for example in the Analects of Confucius and by texts written by Mencius. The zh ceremony can also be found in the Han Shu.

{{Transliteration|zh|Guan Li}} Ceremony

The zh is also known as the "capping" ceremony. The character is sometimes translated as crown or cap. As a coming of age ceremony, the zh ceremony marks the passage of man from childhood to adulthood. It is only after the zh ceremony that a man is considered an adult and can be given adult responsibilities and rights; for example, a man could become the heir of his family, get married, inherit a business, and participate in other aspects of society.

Age

The zh ceremony typically occurs when a man reaches 20 years old and when a girl reaches 15.

Location and organization of ceremony

The ceremony takes place in the young man's ancestral temple on a carefully chosen date, which was considered auspicious, and it was organized by a respectable senior relative of the young man. It could also be done by the eastern stairs (which was the entrance typically used by the master of the house) if the boy was a son by the proper wife, to symbolize that he was in the succession line.

On the day of the ceremony, many guests were invited, including the parents of the young man, the master of the ceremony, and an assistant.

Procedures of {{Transliteration|zh|Guan Li}} ceremony

The procedures of ceremony occur through the following steps:

1. Before the ceremony, the boy takes a bath; his hair is done and he then waits in a room.
2. At the beginning of the ceremony, the father of the boy gives a brief speech.
3. The boy comes out from the room and meets with the guests.
4. The father of the boy would hand him a cup, in the guest's place, without receiving one in return.
5. The senior relative, or the master of the ceremony, washes his hands.
6. The senior relative places three caps on head of the young man, as follows:
7. The ceremony master washes his hand and places a zh on the boy's head; the boy then goes to another room to wear clothing with the same colour as the cap. After that he comes out and returns to the ceremony master.
8. The ceremony master then gives him another cap; the boy goes back to the room and comes back wearing a dark coloured clothing which is worn by adult men to match the cap.
9. The young man gives a salute to all the guests and officially becomes a "man".
10. The young man would obtain a courtesy name.

Derivatives and influences

Korea

Following the Confucian tradition, Koreans also performed the "capping" ceremony, known as Gwallye () as a symbol of coming-of-age for men. On the day of the coming-of-age ceremony, Korean men would have their hair put up in a top knot and cover it with a hat (e.g. a gat) and were official given responsibilities as an adult men.

Related content

• Ji Li (ceremony) – equivalent ceremony for women
• zh
• Hanfu

References

References

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